The Fifth General
by Griffin Stone
Summary: (AU) Matt never left clues for Pidge to find. An unusual course of events drops him into a dangerous game of involving a formerly exiled prince and company, an emperor (plus a Champion, a couple soldiers, and two entire races) who isn't as dead as the universe believes, an insane witch, lost history, and quintessence fields. All while he accidentally pits himself against Voltron.
1. Prologue

****A/N: -claps hands together- This is going to be a very angsty start to what will hopefully be a fairly humorous story. Except for the ending. This story begins and ends with angst.****

 ** **This story was posted earlier, but I removed it due to two people claiming to be from Critics United saying that I had broken the Terms of Service. I have checked with a legitimate CU member, who informed me that my story is perfectly fine and that the two reviewers were not part of the CU.****

* * *

"No! Please, no!"

Black walls loomed up on either side of Pidge as she ran, as ominous as the horrifying possibility that the memorial had put in her mind. She ground to a halt when the wall ended, staring across the plain of 127,098 markers.

"Oh, no."

Pidge leaped and skidded down the hillside, tripping on the last few feet and crashing to the ground. Ignoring the jar throughout her body, Pidge shoved herself to her feet and sprinted down the lane. Her breath echoed raggedly in her helmet.

The transponder beeped rapidly. Matt was close.

But there was no living thing on the horizon.

"Matt!" Pidge screamed, feet speeding up.

It couldn't be true, it couldn't! Her mind flashed back to their time back on Earth.

 _ _The whole family around the dinner table. When Matt brought her cake when she was bullied. The times they hid on the roof past their bedtime to watch the stars. Their joy when Matt was accepted into the Garrison.__

The transponder blared, the screen turning red.

 _ _Matt, smiling and cheery, in his new Garrison space suit...__

Pidge's hands tightened, silencing the transponder. She looked up, having already unconsciously stopped. A black marker with glowing red words met her gaze.

No.

A surge of weakness sent Pidge to her knees. Her shaking helmet picked up the glowing words, and the cold, computerized voice translated.

" _ _ ** **Matthew Holt."****__

The voice went on, listing his date of birth and death, and Pidge couldn't hold back any longer.

Her body clenched forward, hands coming up to catch herself as she let the tears she had been holding back for months flow free.

"I'm so sorry," Pidge sobbed. "I was too late."

Pidge's arms gave out, and she collapsed to the ground. The computer's voice ended, leaving Pidge to only hear her broken sobs.

"No!" Pidge screamed at the ground.

Pidge pounded the ground, screaming until her voice broke and she choked. Heaving for breath, she curled into a ball. Rain drops splattered against her suit, but still couldn't bring herself to move.

Matt was gone.

Eventually her body fell still as, exhausted from her tears and pain, Pidge fell into a restless sleep.

* * *

The rest of the team found her there six vargas later.

Shiro took one look at her fetal position on the muddy ground, and knew what the marker meant. Ticks later, gasps from the others signified that they had realized the same.

"Matt," Shiro whispered brokenly, putting his hand on the marker.

Hunk sniffled and wiped uselessly at his helmet. "Let's get her back to the Castle."

Hunk started forward, but Shiro waved him off. He crouched and gently scooped up the smallest paladin.

Pidge stirred at being disturbed, and her bloodshot eyes crept open. She didn't move for a moment, eyes sliding back-and-forth as she tried to remember what had caused her to feel so heavy and tired.

"Hey, Pidgey," Lance said, trying to smile. "How do you feel?"

"Tired," Pidge mumbled, voice creaky and strange. "Wha' happened?"

Shiro turned before Pidge could see the way Lance's face twisted, responding with, "It's been a long day. Let's get you back to the Castle."

Pidge murmured incoherently, wanting to go back to sleep. But then her eyes fell on the markers around them. Pidge stiffened.

"Pidge?" Allura said, stepping so that her body hid most of the markers from view.

"Matt," Pidge said with a sniffle. "H-he's gone."

"I'm sorry," Shiro said, holding Pidge closer. "We wouldn't have let you go alone if we had known…"

"Shiro, he's gone!" Pidge wailed.

"I know, I know," Shiro murmured. He started to walk, wanting to get Pidge away from the gloomy site.

"The Galra killed him. They took my brother away from me!" Pidge cried. She had thought that her tears were spent, but fresh tears began to stream down her face. "Why?!"

"I don't know," Shiro murmured.

"I can't stand the Galra. I hate them!"

Shiro didn't respond verbally to Pidge's screams, only sped up until he was running. Inside, he was a turmoil of emotions.

Since meeting the Blade of Marmora, the team had come to the realization that not all Galra were evil. But then something like this happened, and it was suddenly hard to remember that fact.

Galra had taken Pidge's family. Killed her brother. Dashed her hopes.

Shiro hugged the sobbing, shaking paladin tighter. She was practically a child still. Far too young to face what the girl had.

All the team could hope was that someday she could recover.

* * *

 ** **A/N: I was trying a new type of prologue for this. After this, Pidge will only be viewed from an outsider's perspective.****

 ** **This story started in my head a while ago. It began as a "What if Matt didn't leave coordinates" AU, but it's since evolved into something much more complicated. Wicked long A/N explaining this in the next chapter****


	2. Compromised

**A/N: Timing-wise, everything up to the Reunion episode remains the same. Complete explanation below in an unusually huge A/N.**

 **I use "Earth time," for the most part, unless Matt's talking to an alien or vice versa.**

 **I threw a desk into Matt's outpost. XD**

* * *

Matt Holt was bored to death.

He was stuck at a tiny listening outpost of the Resistance, which he had named the Post inside the Rock. The Rock was the asteroid that concealed the outpost.

There was only three rooms in the Post, and the largest room was taken up by his scanners, sensors, and communication equipment. The two smaller rooms was living quarters and held supplies that were brought once a month if the rebels could risk it.

He had been sent to the outpost after "the incident" on Marchanda. For security reasons, that was all the Resistance would call that day. "The incident" was never described over the radio and usually forbidden in any sort of conversation.

In the tiny outpost, Matt had been outfitted with some of the simplest types communication tech, but it hadn't taken him long to upgrade. Matt had set up a system that monitored Galra activity and radios, allowing him to keep tabs on Galra across space. Using the system helped the Resistance safely travel and make the rare attack on prison camps.

It was important work, but lonely. Aside from the supply ship, Matt's only interaction with others was over the radio. And that was highly restricted to him as well, since it only took one slip for Galra or other unsavory characters to intercept the transmissions and track him down.

Matt spent most of his days fine-tuning his machines and exercising drills with his metal fighting staff. The pipes and beams supporting the higher parts of the main room -where the gravity generator's effect was weak- was an oversized and complicated jungle gym to Matt that he soon was able to easily navigate.

Finally, after six months, he received the command to move out.

* * *

"Your position has been compromised."

"It's about time."

Olia's face on the screen gave him a stern look. "This is no laughing matter, Tof."

Again, because of "the incident," Matt wasn't called by name over the radio. As if there wasn't more than one Matt in the universe. Still, he was referred to by his fellow rebels as "Tof," a suggestion he had made as a joke because of his hair color.

Much to his dismay, it had stuck.

The toffee-haired boy chuckled. "I know. It's just kind of boring on this rock. Hey, does this mean you can stop calling me 'Tof' now? I've got suggestions!"

Matt had learned that being a spy for the Resistance sometimes meant bouncing from alias to alias as events necessitated. Some rebels had changed names so often, that they couldn't remember their birth name. So far, "Tof" had been Matt's only alias.

That didn't mean that he didn't have ideas for a new alias, though. Matt's favorite so far was "Reach." Other rebels were always teasing Matt for using his staff to reach things he couldn't grab or to fight from an "unfair" distance, so he figured he might as well use that.

"We'll have to see" Olia said, shaking her head. "In the meantime, you'll have plenty of excitement if you don't pack up and leave soon. Meet up with us at Outpost 6 in the Gnar System two quintants from now."

"Aye, cap'n," Matt said with a grin and playful salute.

Olia rolled her eyes in amusement. "Just pack up your stuff."

Matt nodded and signed off. He pulled up multiple holo-screens and rapidly typed in several lines of code, then pulled up a new screen that flashed yellow. He typed in a new code that made the screen turn red, then pushed himself away from the table.

He replaced his helmet and leaped to his feet. Despite the severity of his position being discovered -by Galra or bounty hunters, there was no telling nor did it matter- Matt was glad to be rid of the Post.

"I hope I'm not alone at the next post," Matt said to himself -a habit he had developed since his stay at the Post. "It's well and all to listen in to everyone else's conversations, but it's boring when I can't participate."

Matt withdrew a slim data-pad from his desk, and tucked it into a pouch hidden between his shoulderblades before heading to his living quarters. He shoved a ragged rug on the floor to the side and knelt. He felt the rough floor until he found the barely noticeable ridge on the floor and pressed on it. A section of the floor popped up, and Matt lifted it and pushed it to the side. Underneath was a short passage that led to Matt's little escape pod.

Matt dumped his armload inside the pod and went back for supplies. He was sorting through his meager choices -the last supply ship had been delayed- when a low beep on his wrist-com alerted him that someone was approaching the top hatch to the base.

"Shoot!" Matt whispered.

He darted from the storage room to his living quarters. He snatched up his staff, then pulled up his security video feed.

A single alien was inspecting the outside surface of the Rock. It wore a large cloak, but Matt could see a thick tail from under the cloak and a scaled face under the hood. Its clawed hands rubbed across the ground as he searched for the entrance. A bounty hunter, likely seeking out a reward for bringing in a Resistance member to the Galra.

Matt smirked. This wasn't the first bounty hunter to try and take him, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

He glanced at the passage to his escape pod, but knew the bounty hunter would simply follow if he left then. Matt preferred disarming bounty hunters and leaving them for members of the Resistance to pick up later. A surprising amount of bounty hunters actually joined the Resistance if the situation was handled right.

Matt frowned, realizing that the bounty hunter likely wasn't the one to have intercepted the messages. The Resistance was always good about finding out about compromised rebels with plenty of time for them to escape. Someone else was coming, so Matt would have to be quick this time.

Matt slid out of the living quarters and hid behind a pipe in the main room. As time was of the essence, Matt hoped that he would be lucky enough to knock out the intruder before they realized he was there.

A few ticks later, the bounty hunter stepped into view.

As the bounty hunter scanned the large room, Matt held himself still until it moved past him. Matt tightened his grip on his staff and prepared to step out, then froze when a sniffing sound reached him.

The bounty hunter's large head tipped back, muzzle twitching as he sniffed the air. Very slowly, he started to turn.

Stifling a grunt of frustration, Matt raised his staff and lunged. The bounty hunter spun around and caught the staff in one hand. Matt blinked at the effortless block. He tugged at his staff, but the bounty hunter's grip was firm.

"Is that really the best you can do?" the bounty hunter asked in a male, rumbling voice.

Matt smirked. "Nope."

Matt jerked his body forward and slid his body down so that he was on the ground. Before the bounty hunter could respond, he shoved off with his hands and let go of the staff to slide under him. He kicked the back of the bounty hunter's knees, causing him to go down.

Matt then rolled to his knees and launched himself onto the bounty hunter's back to knock him forward. Unfortunately, the bounty hunter didn't fall forward all the way, managing to catch himself on his hands. Matt scrambled onto his shoulders and grabbed the top of his staff.

Giving an infuriated roar, the bounty hunter surged to his feet and threw his body forward. Matt was flung over his shoulder, just barely managing to keep hold of his staff. His momentum was enough to jerk the staff from the bounty hunter's hands, but it slipped out of his hands and rolled away when Matt hit the ground.

Flat on his back, Matt coughed. "That usually works better." His eyes widened and he was forced to roll away when he saw the bounty hunter's fists coming toward his face. "Hey, hey, don't punch a guy when he's down!"

"You'll be lucky if that's all you get when I'm done with you!" the bounty hunter growled as he tried to step on Matt.

Matt rolled to the side and, snatching up his staff, leaped to his feet. He took a moment to lean against his staff. "You know, that's what the last guy said. Is there a bounty hunter manual or something that you use for lame one-liners?"

The bounty hunter snarled and went after Matt, fists swinging. Matt dodged away, staff batting away the attacks and mouth still going.

"Oh, growling, that's original." Matt ducked. "I really hope your reputation isn't riding on catching me, just saying." Matt darted around a pipe and peeked around the other side. "I mean, what bounty hunter only fights in fisticuffs? Tell me, did you fly here or _slowly_ swim your way across space?"

The bounty hunter threw his whole body into the pipe, causing it to split and steam to hiss out. Matt jumped away and tightened his grip on his staff.

"Not much of a conversationalist?" Matt slapped away the bounty hunter's fist with his staff. "That's okay. I'm kind of on a timetable here, anyway."

Matt spun behind the bounty hunter and swung at the back of his skull. The bounty hunter turned quickly, catching the staff once again.

The bounty hunter swung the staff to the side. Matt held on tightly and was smashed into the dented pipe, knocking his breath away. The staff slipped from his fingers and he fell to the floor. Matt looked up in time to see the bounty hunter bend his staff into a "u."

"Hey!" Matt squawked in protest. "That was my favorite staff!"

The bounty hunter wordlessly dropped the staff with a clatter, and reached into his cloak. He pulled out a whip.

Matt had to roll to the side when the bounty hunter snapped his whip at him. His eyes widened at the arc of electricity that leaped from the staff to the pipe. Matt quickly stood, becoming serious in light of the new threat.

Without a weapon, Matt was in major disadvantage to the large bounty hunter. At least, on the ground he was.

Matt activated his jetpack and leaped up. "Catch me if you can!"

Matt reached the rafters, grabbed one, and swung his feet into a gap. He felt a bit lighter than he had on the ground. A crackle of energy made his hair stand on end as he pulled the rest of his body forward and scurried through the posts. He reached where he stashed a spare staff, grabbing it and turning just as the bounty hunter pulled himself up with his whip.

"Really?" Matt said with a sigh, scrambling higher when the bounty hunter snapped his whip at him. "Can't a guy catch a break?"

"Tired already?" the bounty hunter asked with a sneer.

Matt smirked. "I was talking about you."

Matt leaped over an "x" of pipes and caught himself with one hand. He kicked his feet at a forgotten toolbox balanced across a girder. The low gravity meant that the rain of tools on the bounty hunter wasn't quite as satisfying, but the his clumsy movements to get out of the way of the whole mess made up for it.

Matt swung onto a lower girder and extended his staff. He used the end to jab the bounty hunter, throwing him further off balance. The bounty hunter swung a fist, but Matt's staff kept him safely out of reach.

The next tick, though, Matt had to leap backwards when the bounty hunter threw a hammer at him. Matt half-floated five feet before he grabbed a pole to stop himself. Without giving time for the meager gravity to set him down, Matt kicked off again to crouch under a tangle of pipes that gave him a brief respite. As soon as the bounty hunter moved his position, though, Matt was forced to dart away.

The two went back-and-forth for several doboshes. Matt rapidly ran out of surprises to throw at the bounty hunter, and the intruder quickly adjusted to the gravity level.

Matt hunched on one of the lower posts, panting. The bounty hunter was methodically moving through the rafters where Matt had given him the slip. He had only a few ticks before the bounty hunter spotted him again.

Matt looked down to the main computer, where the screen still glowed red. His eyes flicked up toward the bounty hunter. It was going to be close.

Matt retracted his staff and put it on the holder on his back. He swung silently so that he was briefly hanging on the underside of the pole like a bat, then kicked himself toward the ground.

Halfway to the ground, Matt knew the gravity was at the full effect again. He spun his body around so his feet were towards the ground again, and activated his backpack.

Matt's fall briefly slowed, then there was a _snap_ and a loud pop from Matt's back. He looked quickly to see smoke rising from his jetpack. He abruptly went back into a free-fall, fifteen feet from the ground!

Matt hit the ground first with his left foot. His attempt at a tuck and roll turned into a _crack_ as the one leg broke the fall. He yowled as he crashed to the ground on his side and slid into the desk legs.

His vision went dark for a tick, but Matt couldn't let himself pass out. He forced his eyes wide, just in time for the full of the pain to hit him.

"Ow!" Matt screamed, clutching at his upper leg.

Below his left knee, the leg was bent weirdly to the side. His armor was likely the only thing keeping the leg reasonably in place. His foot felt numb and, considering it had taken the first of the impact, Matt was grateful for it.

A thud caught Matt's attention. He quickly lifted his head to see the bounty hunter had landed across the room and was walking closer.

Matt's eyes flicked up to the desktop. He squirmed his right knee under his body and slipped his staff free while he pushed himself to his left hand and right knee.

"Done running?" the bounty hunter asked with a sneer.

Matt bowed his head and counted the bounty hunter's steps. When he was a step away, Matt pushed up to stand on his good leg. With all the force he could muster, he swung the staff up and into the bounty hunter's chin. The bounty hunter stumbled back, hand to his face, while Matt put his staff against the ground to brace himself.

Matt had been hoping to make a run for his pod once he was on the ground and try his luck in space, but there was no chance of outrunning the bounty hunter on his busted leg.

Instead, he drew himself up and took a deep breath. At a mental command, the screen flashed from red to blue. The screen flickered and went blank, then a countdown appeared on it. The same countdown appeared on the inside corner of Matt's visor. There was a clang as the entrance to the Post sealed shut.

"In five doboshes, this whole outpost is going to be reduced to rubble," Matt informed the recovering bounty hunter. "And it looks like we're both going with it."

Matt didn't really want to kill the bounty hunter, and he wanted to die himself even less. But, with a broken leg, there was no way of escaping on his own. And he couldn't let his tech into Galra hands. The only solution was to blow the whole thing to pieces, even if he was still inside.

"You little-"

"I wouldn't waste my time," Matt said calmly. He leaned against the desk to take the strain off his arms and leg.

"What's the trick?" the bounty hunter asked. "There has to be a way out, unless you plan to die today."

Matt silently stared at the bounty hunter. He mentally pulled up a side screen in his visor, and entered in a code the same way that sent a message to the Resistance.

The simple message, "I won't be making it," would tell them all they needed to know.

"I'm not going back to the Galra slave camps," Matt finally said.

The bounty hunter snarled and snapped his whip at Matt, who whipped the staff up. The whip caught on the staff and wound around it several times.

"Seriously? I think you would want to spend your last doboshes doing something other than trying to hit me," Matt said, exasperated.

The bounty hunter's muzzle twisted into a sneer. "Who said I was trying to hit you?"

Matt's eyes widened. He tried to jerk his staff free, but it was stuck in the whip. Before he could let go, a crackle of energy shot through the whip, across the staff, and into Matt.

The surge of electricity shot Matt backwards, flipping him over the desk. Between the shock and abrupt motion on his broken leg, Matt blacked out before he even hit the floor.

* * *

 **A/N: I've never claimed to be able to write cruel characters, so sorry if the bounty hunter is kind of lame.**

 **As of March 22, 2019, the first five (not counting prologue, which remained the same) chapters have been updated. Nothing much has changed, just a few added details. The plot, however, has taken huge bounds in my head. Thus the updated synopsis that may change yet again. Not to jinx myself, but this story may finally be the one to breach 100,000 words! And even then, there are further plot bunnies that could turn this book into a trilogy or even a five-parter! But for now, I'll focus on just this one story. XD**

 **Okay, explanation time. If you're reading this story for the first time, then you obviously won't have seen the earlier A/Ns and synopsis. This is pretty much going to be a self-indulgent fic where I get to play around with Matt in the background of the show plot, and plop him into the company of Lotor and the generals while I do so.**

 **People who have been here since the start may be wondering if the good Lotor AU is still in play. Well... I'll let you decide that for yourself.**

 **As I said before, this originally wasn't going to be super complex, but the plot has really evolved since I first posted this story. It's going to be my usual fare of humor, drama, and ill-timing, plus a huge dosing of insanity. Either mine or the characters, I'm still not sure.**

 **Up to this point in the story, everything remains the same as canon. The only exception is the events on Puig, and the only change there is that a Blade of Marmora member was "missed" by the generals and he contacted Voltron. A tweak in canon detail that I've made is that the paladins' visors are like a one-way mirror, so Lotor and the generals have never seen the paladins' faces. (It's a plot point later, trust me. XD)**

 **Right now, I will be messing around with Matt, Lotor, and the generals in the free time allowed by the Voltron Show episode with obviously non-canon events. Once I rejoin the canon time frame (you'll know when I do, trust me), then it will be a mix of canon and "what if" indulgences on my part.**

 **Well, I've had my say. Thanks for reading if you put up with it all! Now, that's enough talking. Let's get going with this!**


	3. Rescue?

Matt's first thought as his consciousness slowly returned was that his leg shouldn't have been hurting as much as it did. Because he was pretty sure he was dead, and that meant waking up to no pain.

But his leg still felt broken.

Once he moved past that frustrating thought, he noticed a loud humming of an engine. He was flat on his back on a hard surface that was vibrating slightly. His hands were crossed in front of his body. His right hand tingled, and gave an involuntary twitch.

Matt didn't think he was dead anymore.

With that startling thought, Matt opened his eyes. He saw a rusty metal roof above him, and stacks of boxes to his left. When he moved his head to the side, he realized that he was in the hold of a ship.

"What the…?"

Matt looked down and saw that his wrists were tied together with wire. His armor and cloak was missing, leaving him in a faded orange shirt, brown pants, and socks. He rolled his shoulders, and was relieved to at least feel the data-pad still hidden.

But he was still tied up and in the hold of a ship.

"After all that, he _still_ got me?" Matt moaned to himself. "How'd he even get us out?!"

Matt moved his bound hands to the side and pushed himself up with his elbow, careful to keep his legs as still as possible. His legs weren't tied, but it wasn't like Matt could get anywhere on his own. His broken leg was even more crooked without the armor, and the foot was alarmingly swollen under the sock.

"Would it have hurt to at least splint the leg?" Matt muttered, grumpily rubbing the upper leg.

His hand gave another twitch, prompting Matt to lift it and inspect it. Aside from a burn on his palm that had burnt away the glove, he couldn't see anything wrong with it. After a dobosh, he put it to the shock that he had received.

Moving past his body, Matt took stock of the hold in which he was being held prisoner.

Directly in front of him was an oval metal door with a small porthole. The boxes he had noticed earlier were netted against the wall. Alien writing that Matt couldn't translate was scrawled on the sides. The right side of the room had shelves that were empty, except for the upper-most.

Matt squinted. The radios, tool kit, and armor on the shelves were pretty familiar… Then his eyes fell on his staff at the very top, and he realized what had happened.

The gear was his. All the stuff that he had loaded into the escape pod. He had completely forgotten that the pod's exit from the Post didn't seal off when the Post went into lockdown.

Matt groaned and rubbed his face with his bound hands. His situation just kept getting better and better. Not only was he now a captive, his data drives held delicate information about the Resistance locations and trade routes.

"I see you're awake."

The gruff voice made Matt jerk his hands away from his face. He glared at the bounty hunter, who was now without his cloak.

The lizard-like alien had bulging muscles and a lean frame, along with thick spikes on his shoulder and head. It was no wonder he had been able to keep up with Matt; he looked like chasing down rebels was a normal thing for him. A whip hung from either side of his belt. He wore a cruel grin as he stared at Matt.

"Made no difference to me," the bounty hunter went on, inspecting his claws. "A rebel is a rebel, alive or not. There's still a reward in it."

Matt made himself stay quiet. He was too vulnerable and hurt to risk angering the bounty hunter, much as he didn't like to admit it.

"Not so smart now, are you?" the bounty hunter asked with a sneer.

Matt just bit his tongue and glared harder.

The bounty hunter grunted and frowned. "I had been hoping for more of a challenge from you."

Matt grinned and figured it wouldn't hurt to say, "Wait til my friends come to get me. I'm just biding my time."

"Are you? I've caught enough of you rebels to know one thing: no one ever comes to rescue them," the bounty hunter said.

"See, that's where I know you are full of hot air," Matt said with a sniff. "The Resistance watches out for each other."

Of course, Matt knew what the bounty hunter had said was true. In cases like his, the Resistance couldn't risk a rescue team. Maybe, if they could reach him before the bounty hunter reached the Galra, but Matt had as much of a chance of that happening as he did to jump to his feet and run out the door.

"So let's make this easy," Matt said in a cheery voice. "You let me go now, and I'll make sure my buddies don't damage your ship too bad."

The bounty hunter gave an ugly laugh. "That's what the last one said." He shoved his face into Matt's. "Is there a rebel manual for lame escape attempts?"

"Don't be stealing my lines," Matt said, sneaking his hands forward. "Can't you be different from the same old bounty hunters and at least come up with your own? It's getting old."

"You know what else is getting old?" The bounty hunter stepped back and scowled. "Prisoners stealing weapons that they can't even use."

Matt looked at the whip in his hands, then back up. "If it's that old, why don't you learn from your mistakes and stop getting so close?"

The bounty hunter smirked and kicked Matt's broken leg. Matt yelped, body clenching in on itself. He panted and blinked hard to clear his vision, and looked up to see that the bounty hunter had the handle of his whip back in his hand. The tip of the whip was still in Matt's hand.

"Because this never gets old."

A surge of electricity sent Matt jerking backward. When he could focus again, he was on his back and panting for breath.

The bounty hunter smirked down at him and turned away. "Like I said, no challenge."

"Jus' you wait!" Matt slurred at the bounty hunter's retreating back. "When this is over, you'll wish you hadn't done that!"

The bounty hunter stopped at the door and turned back. His mouth opened, then the ship jolted forward. The bounty hunter staggered and grabbed onto the doorway, while Matt slid a few painful feet.

"Chezak!" the bounty hunter spat as he straightened.

"Eesh, language!" Matt yelped, wishing he could cover his ears.

"Don't move," the bounty hunter snarled before darting from the room.

"Yeah, because I'm just going to run out of here!" Matt yelled after him. He blinked. "Wait, what hit us?!"

There was the sound of fighting from outside the room. Had the Resistance really found him? It seemed impossible, but what else was there?

Galra or more bounty hunters, that was what.

"Dang," Matt grunted as he made himself sit up again. "It can't be the Resistance. Everyone thinks I'm dead. I gotta get out of here."

Matt twisted around and realized that he had moved close to the shelves. He reached out and grabbed the lowest shelf. He pulled himself closer, gritting his teeth when his broken leg dragged. Reaching further up, Matt pulled his body up while getting his good leg under him and pushing backward. After a dobosh of shifting, sliding, and grappling with the shelving, Matt was standing on his one leg and holding the shelf to stay upright.

Adrenaline was Matt's best friend at that moment.

"Okay," Matt panted to himself. "Getting up was the hard part."

Which was a lie, of course. He still had to find some sort of escape pod and get out unnoticed.

Matt turned his attention to his staff. If he had it to use as a crutch, he could at least move faster. He reached up and could barely grasp it. Matt grinned, realizing the bounty hunter hadn't thought he would get that far.

His grin faded, though, when he tried to pull it down. The end that Matt had grabbed moved toward him, but the opposite end didn't budge. Matt craned his neck, but it wasn't stuck. He wriggled it experimentally and it moved just fine, but he couldn't pull it off the shelf.

The sounds of fighting was starting to dwindle. Matt glanced at the door with a growl. Without something to help him walk, he was even less likely to escape.

"Are you a bounty hunter?"

Matt flinched at the strange female voice, nearly losing his grip on the shelves. The voice had come from right in front of him, but there was no one there.

"You're hearing things," Matt muttered. "Just get out of here."

"You don't look tough enough for a bounty hunter," the voice went on.

Matt blinked at the empty space. "I've completely lost it." He shook his head. "Focus!"

"What are you trying to do?" the voice asked as Matt continued to tug on his staff.

Matt glared in the direction of the voice. "If you must know, escaping. Now, somebody has to be in here. If you're a bounty hunter or whatever, would you just show yourself and capture me? If not, then I suggest running before whoever it is that is attacking this ship gets here."

Matt turned away and jerked on his staff. He stumbled backward at the sudden lack of resistance, narrowly bringing his staff down in time to take the weight before his left leg could.

"Ezor!" bellowed a new voice.

"Who in the world is on this ship?!" Matt snapped, jerking his head in the direction of the second voice.

This time, a visible alien rushed into the doorway.

The new alien was broad-shouldered and tall. She had blue skin and darker blue fur on the top of her head. Her large ears made Matt think of a Kythran, but smooth-skinned instead of feathered. Her dark armor was too clean and uniform to be Resistance, but not quite Galra. She held a large gun in her hand.

"Zethrid!" piped up the first voice. "He's not a bounty hunter. I think he is a prisoner."

The names were familiar, Matt thought. Before he could think about from where, the owner of the first voice appeared out of thin air.

This alien had pink skin with yellow and blue markings on her face. Her blue eyes were cheery and teasing. She had a long tentacle that hung from the top of her head down to her waist. In either hand was a sort of ninja star. She wore the same sort of armor as the other alien, who was presumably Zethrid.

Matt slid his eyes between the two aliens. They seemed harmless enough, though the Zethrid one was watching him suspiciously.

"How did you get here?" asked the pink alien.

Before Matt could answer, yet another alien came into view. The third was blue-skinned and -haired like Zethrid, but slimmer and shorter. She also wore armor like the other two, and held a small gun. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of Matt.

"Who's this?" she asked.

"Prisoner," the pink one said.

"Lotor said nothing about prisoners," the blue-skinned one said.

Matt's eyes widened at the name "Lotor." He'd listened to enough Galra chatter to recognize the name of the Galran prince and, he now realized, his four generals!

"I was just leaving," Matt said, shifting his staff to a better position. "You can go back to whatever it was that you were doing, I won't bother you."

The pink one's eyes flicked down to Matt's leg, then back up. "You're hurt."

"Just a scratch," Matt stammered.

Matt eyed the two blue-skinned aliens as they moved further into the room. And, more importantly, away from the door.

"Let's get Narti!" the pink one suggested. "She's good with injuries."

"Um, no need to-"

Matt gave up trying to talk himself away. He bunched his body up and kicked off both legs -albeit painfully- and his staff.

He managed to bolt past the smaller woman, but the stockier one reacted quicker than Matt had hoped. With the pain of his leg blurring his vision, he didn't have time to notice the large fist swinging at him. Much less dodge.

The powerful punch to the face sent him crashing backward into the shelves. His legs slid out from under him, and he toppled limply onto his side. He barely kept a grip on consciousness, though his body was uncomfortably numb.

"Thank you, Zethrid," said the smaller woman's voice, sounding like it came from a long way off to Matt. "On top of everything else, he definitely needed a concussion."

"He looked like he was going to attack," Zethrid said, not sounding repentant.

A pink face suddenly appeared in Matt's blurry vision. He blinked heavily at her, trying to muster out some words. All that came out was an incoherent slur.

"Can we keep him?" the pink alien asked.

Matt's eyes slid shut. Sound and feeling faded slowly away, vanishing just after he felt arms slide under his body.

* * *

 **A/N: Aaaaand, he's out again. XD This is going to have a lot of Matt whumping. Which general should KO him next?**


	4. Third Time's the Charm

**A/N:** **Nobody took me seriously when I asked who should knock out Matt next. XD Don't worry. I didn't end this chapter with Matt getting knocked out.**

 **I'm still having too much fun with Matt, though.**

* * *

Matt decided he was definitely dead when his consciousness returned for the second time. Because there was no way that his leg could stop hurting so quickly. Actually, it was kind of numb. He could still feel his body, laid flat on a hard surface, but not his leg.

He tried to open his eyes to get a sense of where he had ended that time, but they felt gummed shut. His attempt to move his arms to rub at his eyes had the same lack of response.

A sense of dread started to rise in Matt as he processed that, which was only fueled by the voices that slowly came into focus.

"...badly out of place. I will have to have to reset it."

"That will wake him up."

Matt didn't recognize the first, male voice, but the second voice belonged to the smaller, blue-skinned woman.

"Check the files, Acxa."

"Yes, Lotor."

Okay. Lotor and Acxa. Matt was still in the hands of the Galra.

Fantastic. A groan slipped out of Matt.

"I think he's waking up," said the pink-skinned alien's voice.

"Thank you, Ezor. Acxa?" Lotor's voice was calm, but quick.

"We can give him brix sap," Acxa said.

"Get some."

" _Brix sap?"_ Matt thought. " _I know that. It's…"_

Matt forced his sluggish mind to process the information. What did he know about brix?

Brix was a collective term for a plant that grew on many planets across the universe. A very mild version of brix grew on Earth, though it was called the valerian flower. Sometimes the size of the brix plant and strength of the sap varied, but the shape, color, and usefulness for medical purposes remained consistent.

"I have it," Acxa sound, footsteps indicating she had returned.

It made sense that the Galrans would have brix sap on the ship. Brix had a numbing effect for some races, like Galra. Although, most races -including humans- the sap had a much stronger effect. Matt struggled to remember what exactly.

Matt heard the sound of Acxa stepping closer, then he remembered in a flash.

Brix sap was often used as a sedative! They were going to knock him out again!

Matt's body finally woke up enough for his eyes to snap open. Acxa stood over him, needle in hand.

"No!" Matt yelped.

His hand shot up to smack Acxa's arm. Acxa must have not been expecting him to respond so abruptly, because she made no move to dodge. The needle slipped out of her hand and hit the ground with the sound of splintering glass.

Acxa stared at her hand for half a tick, then reached for Matt.

"Get away!" Matt yelled, flinching away from her.

"Acxa," Lotor's voice said.

Acxa glanced to the side, then backed off. Matt eyed her, then spared a tick to check his surroundings.

He was on a table in a white-walled room. There was a bed in one corner, and medical instruments on another table nearby. Acxa stood to the left of Matt, and Zethrid, the pink alien -Ezor, Matt realized-, and a male that had to be Lotor was standing in front of Matt.

Lotor looked rather Galra, compared to the generals. He had the eyes and purple skin of a Galra, along with the pointed ears. Only his long white hair and lack of fur around his head hinted at his non-Galra heritage. There was a pink mark glowing under either of his eyes, though they faded away as Matt watched.

"You're awake!" cheered Ezor.

"Where am I?" Matt demanded.

Surprisingly, Lotor answered. "You are on my ship. We found you as a prisoner to a bounty hunter."

Found? Matt had thought that he was being turned over to the Galra, but Lotor made it sound like their meeting had been accidental. Not that Matt was inclined to believe the son of the warlord who had terrorized the universe for generations, but what would Lotor have to gain from lying to a helpless prisoner.

"What do you want with me?" Matt asked.

"To be rid of you," Zethrid muttered, making Matt's panic skyrocket.

"Zethrid!" Ezor whined. She turned to Matt, tone turning bright again. "Zethrid just doesn't like company. Lotor's gonna fix your leg, then we're dropping you off. Unless you want to stay with us!"

"Ezor, we are not keeping the human with us," Acxa said, sounding as though she had already explained that.

Matt dismissed the group's bickering, focusing more on where he was headed. Wherever they were dropping him off was likely a Galra slave camp or prison, neither of which Matt wanted to find himself at once again.

Matt's eyes slid down to his leg. It was still at an odd angle. He started to feel a tingling in it, so either feeling had returned or something the Galra had used to numb it had worn off.

Ezor was suddenly in his face. Matt leaned back with a frown. Did she have no sense of personal space?

"You aren't going to try and run again, are you?" Ezor asked.

"No," Matt lied.

"You wouldn't get far," Lotor said.

Matt looked at the Galra prince, who seemed uninterested as he scrolled through a holo-pad.

"What's it to you if I run?" Matt asked.

"Your leg is already in bad enough condition," Lotor said.

"Can't have your prize damaged?" Matt snipped.

Acxa crossed her arms, expression unimpressed. "'Prize?' You think rather highly of yourself, don't you?"

Matt turned to her. "I'm a rebel."

"Der," Ezor said, pulling out a piece of Matt's scratched armor from seemingly nowhere. "No one else would wear armor this bad."

"Hey, it took me a long time to get that!" Matt protested.

"Rebels are as easy to find as rocks in space," Lotor said. He turned as a screen lit up on the wall behind him. "You just happened to be on the ship of the bounty hunter that made the mistake of stealing from us."

Matt couldn't answer to that one. Galra were constantly hunting down the Resistance, why was the heir to the empire so uncaring?

"So… what now?" Matt asked, not sure of what to think.

"I fix your leg, we drop you off near the closest outpost, and we all forget this ever happened," Lotor said.

"Right. Or, I tell you the location of the rebel outpost and you take it over? No, thanks," Matt said, proud of himself for figuring it out.

Lotor didn't move or respond, but Acxa gave an exaggerated eye roll.

"We already have the location," Ezor said, reminding Matt that she was still in his zone.

Matt leaned a bit more to the right. "Wait, then what do you need me for?"

"Are all-" Lotor pulled up a new screen and studied it before continuing, "-humans this way? We don't need you for anything."

"Yes, we are," Matt said with a grin. "Hey, how do you know I'm human? No one knows that."

"I know all I need to know about you, Matthew Holt," Lotor said.

Matt jerked back. "How do you know my name?"

Lotor pulled up a picture of Matt from the Galra slave camp and, without turning to face Matt, read, "Fugitive prisoner 117-9877. Species: Human. Planet of origin: Earth. Age: Unknown. Sent to the gladiator ring until a wound from a fellow prisoner caused you to be sent to a labor camp. Freed eight pheobs ago by a rebel force."

Matt stared at the lines of information across the screen. Sure enough, the location of several rebel camps were given.

Lotor hadn't been lying about having the locations. Matt could only hope they hadn't come from the data-pad that he still felt between his shoulderblades. The one thing he did know, was that he had to warn the Resistance!

Matt sat up quickly, arms flung in front of him to make Ezor leap back. He tried to move his legs to the edge of the table, but the slightest motion made pain shoot up his broken leg. He cried out and froze against his will, then Ezor stepped back in front of him.

"Hold still!" Ezor said, expression worried as she grabbed Matt's arms. "Lotor's only started to fix your leg!"

"Get off!" Matt growled, jerking his arms free.

"Let him try and be done with it," Zethrid said, sounding bored.

Ezor turned her head toward Zethrid with a scowl. Acxa was tense, but unmoving as Matt panted and tried to convince his legs to move again. Lotor turned slightly.

Lotor's eyes locked onto Matt, who glared rebelliously. His eyes flicked over Matt's head and focused on something behind him. At the same time, Ezor turned with pleading eyes, also looking over Matt's head.

That's when Matt realized his mistake. Where was the fourth general?!

Matt started to twist around, expecting to feel the prick of a needle at any tick. Before he could completely turn, something rested softly on his forehead and his movement stopped.

Matt blinked as his panic faded. He suddenly felt like everything was just fine. He didn't have to move. No one was in danger.

"Lay him down," Lotor said, moving to Matt's side.

Matt vaguely wondered why he didn't see Lotor as a threat anymore, but the thought was pushed aside. His body moved almost on its own to lay back down again.

He couldn't feel his leg anymore. That was good. Laying down was good. Not fighting was good. Lotor was good…

"Why is he smiling?" Zethrid asked.

Ezor made a "crazy" motion beside her head, then grinned at whoever was behind Matt.

A sense of calm washed over Matt. Everything was just fine. Actually, it was fine enough that Matt felt he could take a nap. He was tired, though he hadn't been a few ticks ago.

That didn't bother him, of course. Matt just closed his eyes and let himself sleep.

* * *

The third time Matt roused from unconsciousness, he was done thinking that he had died. While he didn't hurt, past experience was telling him that meant nothing.

For once, Matt's full mind returned at once. He knew he was still a captive of Lotor's and that he was on his own. He braced himself and opened his eyes.

And found a yellow-eyed, black-furred cat staring at him.

"Gah!"

Matt tried to flinch away from the cat, but since it was on it chest, that was pointless. Matt made himself lay still and stared at the cat.

One thing that Matt had learned since getting abducted was that aliens came in all shapes and sizes. And some of them got really insulted when they were treated like an animal.

"Hello?" he said tentatively.

To Matt's relief, the cat simply meowed and started to rub on his chin. Matt chuckled and nudged the cat off of him so he could sit up and look around.

He was in a small cave with a domed ceiling. It was lit by a lamp close by, and there was a blanket -not bars- across the single tunnel that led out. Matt sat on his bedroll and his canteen was beside it. To Matt's confusion, his armor, pack, and staff was on the floor nearby.

Matt frowned, starting to doubt that he was remembering correctly. It sure looked like he was camping with the rebels.

The cat rubbing on his arm caught Matt's attention. He picked up the cat and held him in front of him. The cat started to purr while Matt studied him.

The cat had big ears with purple fur, and a red mohawk down the back of his head. He was kind of scrawny, and had three gray stripes on his back. The bottom half of his legs were the same color of gray, and there was a patch of gray between his eyes.

"Where did you come from?" Matt asked, setting the cat down. "Did Te-Osh get a pet?" Matt eyed the blanket hiding the other side of the tunnel. "I am with the Resistance, right?"

The cat meowed. Matt shook his head at himself for talking to a cat.

Matt experimentally moved his leg. Aside from a dull throbbing, it seemed to be just fine. He started to stand, but fell back down when his leg wouldn't support his weight. His right hand abruptly spasmed for a few ticks, then stopped.

"Great," Matt muttered, staring at his hand. "Hope that little twitch doesn't stick around. Can't code like that…"

Matt shrugged it off and dragged himself to his gear. He put his armor back on, instantly feeling more secure once he did, and replaced his cloak. He left his helmet beside his pack. Using his staff, Matt pushed himself to his feet.

Matt leaned on his staff and glanced down at the cat, who meowed and bounded down the tunnel and slipped through the blanket. Matt limped over to the blanket and raised his hand. He took a deep breath and pushed it to the side.

And promptly groaned. "Come on, really?"

"Hello to you, too," Acxa said drily.

The four generals were seated around a campfire in a larger section of the cave. They sat on separate sides of the fire, and there was a tunnel behind each of them. The tunnels to the left and ahead -where Acxa and Zethrid sat in that order- were covered with blankets as well. The tunnel to the right -where an alien _with no face_ was sitting- had light at the end. Acxa and Zethrid both had their weapons laying beside them, but the other pair appeared to be unarmed.

Ezor, directly in front of Matt, tipped her head back and grinned at him. "You're awake! How's your leg?"

"It's-" Matt blinked. "It's fine, why are you so concerned about my leg?"

"Because it's the only reason we haven't left you already," Acxa said.

Matt stared at her. "I'm not your prisoner?"

"You can be, if it will make you stop talking," Zethrid muttered.

Matt pointed at the exit tunnel. "You're telling me, that none of you will stop me if I left now?"

Acxa waved a hand, seeming more distracted than she had been during the other times that Matt was conscious. Matt took a few steps toward the exit tunnel.

Sure enough, no one stopped him. Ezor frowned, but didn't protest. Matt crept past Narti, just realizing that the cat had curled up on her lap and was getting pet.

The little traitor.

Matt limped quickly down the tunnel and into the open. His grin turned into a groan of dismay when he got a good look at the outside.

There was nothing but flat stone in every direction. Behind him was the steep cliff that held the cave, but that was the only thing in sight. There was a dull yellow moon in the sky that lit the area.

"No ship, no base, no radio, can barely walk." Matt shook his head, then groaned again when he realized that he had even left all his gear back inside the cave! "Great, just great."

"You talk to yourself a lot."

Matt yelped and spun around face Ezor. "Must you keep doing that?!"

Ezor blinked. "What?"

"Sneaking up on me!"

Ezor just shrugged and grinned. Matt sighed, wondering why he didn't feel so threatened by her anymore. It must have been her relaxed posture and the fact that she hadn't shown any hostility to him, he decided.

"Well, it's been… interesting, but I've got a rendezvous," Matt said. He mentally kicked himself. "I mean…"

"You don't have to try and hide it," Ezor said easily, swinging her arms as she turned her gaze to the plain. "Everyone we pick up is just eager to get back to where they belong."

Matt stared at her. "Do they?"

"Yep. Don't tell anyone, but…" Ezor's voice lowered and Matt found himself leaning in, "Lotor likes to pick up strays and take them to their homes."

Matt shook his head. "You're messing with me. He's… _Lotor_."

"What have you heard about him?" Ezor asked innocently.

"He… well, he…"

Matt drew a blank. For all the chatter he had heard from the empire and about their actions, he realized that he had never really heard Lotor or his generals as a part of the destructive events.

"He's Galra," Matt finally said.

Ezor didn't act insulted or angry like Matt thought she would, instead getting a knowing smirk. Matt scowled and turned away, wondering why he was even bothering to talk with her.

"If you stick around, we can get you back to the rebels," Ezor said, making Matt freeze. "No one would know, and no one would get hurt."

Matt turned his head. "Why should I trust you?"

Ezor shrugged carelessly and turned. She called back over her shoulder, "Why shouldn't you?"

"Because-" Matt stopped himself.

Why couldn't he? They _had_ rescued him from a bounty hunter and somehow fixed his leg. They hadn't thrown him in prison or left him on this bare planet. Ezor seemed to want him to stay, and Lotor really hadn't been that awful…

Telling himself it was just to get his gear, Matt turned and limped back into the tunnel.

* * *

 **A/N: Actually, whoever knocked Matt out in this chapter actually affected how this chapter would go. Each of the generals (Lotor, too, but his method required too much dialogue) had a different manner that would cause different degrees of trust when Matt woke up the third time.**

 **Guest review responses:**

 **Random Fan: Thank you!**


	5. Fraternizing with the Enemy

**A/N: I'm posting this chapter early purely so I can say: _Have you seen the new trailer yet?!_ I'm really freaking out right now!**

 **Okay, deep breath. I'm calm... ish.**

 **The chapter lengths are really going to vary with this story. This one's rather short and spastic, but I was feeling spastic when I wrote it.**

* * *

Ezor positively beamed when Matt re-entered the cave. Zethrid grunted, but it was impossible to read the other two.

"I just need to grab my stuff, then I'll be out of your hair," Matt said, trying to not act too hurried.

"Nope!"

The next thing Matt knew, Ezor's hand grabbed his wrist and pulled down. Since his leg was still weak, he fell to his knees. He winced.

"Oh, sorry!" Ezor pulled her hand away. "Is your leg still sore? Zethrid's had her leg broken before, and it was three quintants before her leg was normal again. Actually, I think it was four, but it's hard to tell with her."

Matt blinked at the rush of information. "Okay?"

"Ezor, you are talking to a former prisoner," Zethrid informed her.

"Matthew was never a prisoner," Ezor said.

Matt started. "What did you call me?"

"Matthew? That's your name, right? Or do you prefer Matthew Holt?"

"No, no, it's fine," Matt hurriedly said.

It had been deca-pheobs since anyone called him Matthew; none of the Resistance even knew his whole first name, as far as Matt knew. But "Matt" was too friendly for the enemy and he _definitely_ didn't want to be called "Tof!"

"Oh, oh! We all know your name, but do you know ours?" Ezor asked.

"I'm sure he does, Ezor," Zethrid said.

"I'm not sure," Matt blurted when Ezor's face fell, though from what he had seen, it wouldn't have lasted long. "I've been living under a rock for pheobs."

Matt's outburst drew odd looks from the generals. Matt cleared his throat.

"You lived under a rock?" Ezor asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"Sort of. Inside a rock. Not really." Matt shook his head. "It's an Earth saying. The point is, I'm not sure of your names."

Ezor perked up again. "Well, I'm Ezor. Miss gruff over there is Zethrid, that is Acxa -she's not glaring, that just her neutral expression- and, ever talkative, is Narti. Kova is Narti's familiar, and Lotor's-"

"Busy," Acxa cut in.

"That's what I was going to say," Ezor said.

Acxa snorted and tossed a stick into the fire. Despite Ezor's assurance, Matt was pretty sure that she was glaring at him. He quickly turned the conversation toward what he hoped was something safe.

"Kova is Narti's familiar?"

Narti nodded as she stroked the cat. Matt realized that where her face should have been, was angled toward him. When he shifted to sit cross-legged, Narti's head moved to follow him.

"Kova helps Narti see," Ezor readily explained. "Narti can't see like us, but she can connect telepathically with other beings."

"Connect?"

"Yep. That's how we know how she feels or wants."

"Can she-you," Matt scrambled to correct himself and turned his head to address Narti, "Can you… make others feel a certain way?"

Again, Ezor responded for Narti. "Oh, right. Yeah, that was Narti in the infirmary. She doesn't normally have to do that, but _someone_ was trying to run away."

"Anyone would have the same response if they woke up surrounded by Galra," Matt said.

"Unless they're Galra," Ezor countered.

Matt grunted, but didn't give Ezor the pleasure of a response. Apparently oblivious, Ezor chattered on.

"I see what you mean, though. The first time _I_ woke up around other Galra, I threw two of them out the door before I remembered that it was just the barracks. Zethrid knocked over all the bunks, and I'm pretty sure Acxa dented the wall."

"I guess it would be even more surprising if you're used to be alone in the first place," Ezor continued. "Maybe it was a good thing your leg was broken, or else you could have flown off and gotten lost in space."

Matt blinked as Ezor went on. Did she even realize that she was talking so freely to the enemy? Or was she just talking for the sake of talking?

"That's easy to do, you know. Only Lotor and Narti don't get lost without the maps. Even Acxa needs a navigation system. You'd think that if you just flew and flew in one direction, then you'd eventually reach someone, but that doesn't work as well as you would think."

"I know, because I tried that on a training mission, but I got so lost that it took everyone else a movement to find me. By then, I was out of fuel and almost out of rations. And there's never anything to eat in space. Just rocks."

"Although, there are a few rocks that you can actually eat. Did you know that?" Ezor never paused, just went on, "They are rare and taste awful, but there's something in the way that they are made that gives them nutrients. Are they even rocks? They sound more like coral or something to me when Lotor explains. Space coral."

Matt was starting to get _really_ concerned about Ezor. Nobody he knew could change topics so rapidly and pointlessly with barely a pause for breath. None of the other generals appeared to be worried, though.

"Is there coral on Earth? Are there _oceans_ on Earth?"

Matt stared at Ezor, who abruptly fell silent after her questions. After an awkwardly silent dobosh, Matt finally spoke.

"Yes and yes."

Ezor nodded knowledgeably. "I thought so. One thing I've seen is that most populated planets have is an ocean of some sort. And where there are oceans, there is usually coral, right?"

Again, a brief silence fell before Matt's hesitant, "Yes?"

"Okay, neat! What is the coral like on Earth?" Ezor asked.

"You're joking, right?" Matt had to ask.

Ezor shrugged, disappointment flickering across her eyes. "No, I actually want to know. Or, if you don't want to talk, I'll tell you about the coral I've seen. I'm okay with talking. I like to talk when I'm nervous."

"You're nervous?"

"Well, yeah! I mean…." Ezor trailed off, then smirked at Matt. "Uh-uh, not going to get me to talk that easily."

Matt sputtered. "Excuse me? You're the one who has talked non-stop without me saying anything!"

"So I did."

Matt looked pleadingly at the other generals when Ezor's chatter ended and she stared expectantly at him.

Zethrid wore a grin and narrowed eyes, obviously taking pleasure in Matt's discomfort. Acxa was watching them with a bit less of her previous suspicion. It was impossible to tell when Narti was thinking, though Kova was watching Matt.

After a tick, Kova stood and padded over to Matt. He leaned down and sniffed Matt's previously broken leg, then circled him. He was studying Matt way too intently for a cat.

"What's he doing?" Matt asked, officially weirded out by his company.

"Narti's just making sure there isn't anything we missed," Ezor explained.

"Don't you mean Kova?" Matt asked.

"No, I meant Narti."

Matt looked down at Kova inspecting his leg, then to Narti. "I don't get it."

"I already explained this," Ezor said with a pout. "Narti sees through Kova's eyes."

"I do not recall that conversation," Matt said. "Do you mean, really see? Like, whatever Kova sees, Narti sees?"

Narti nodded. Ezor cocked her head.

"What else would I mean?"

Matt thought back to when he had first woken up in the cave. Narti had been there, watching him, so Narti must have been as well. While the idea initially felt like an invasion of privacy, Matt had to admit that it worked out in the end. He hadn't found himself surrounded by the enemy yet again, so he hadn't panicked. If he had panicked, he could have re-injured his leg. That had to have been the group's intent, but why?

Why were they so keen on keeping Matt from hurting himself? Was everything Ezor said about him not being a prisoner and would be allowed to go free without injury or consequence… genuine?

A hand waving in front of his face brought Matt back to the present. He threw a half-hearted glare at Ezor as she sat back.

"It wasn't that hard of a question," Ezor said.

"What wasn't?"

"Weren't you paying attention?" Ezor abruptly leaned forward, prompting Matt to lean to the side. "Does your head hurt? Zethrid, how hard did you hit him?"

"Not hard enough," Zethrid said.

Matt cocked his head. "Are you always that… short?"

Zethrid bristled. Literally. Her fur stood up as she hissed out, "I am taller than you!"

"I was talking about your sentences," Matt said, raising his hands defensively. "All you ever say is how much you want to get rid of people and wishing you had hurt them more."

"That's what I always tell her!" Ezor chimed in. She leaned even _closer_ to Matt and stage-whispered, "On the inside, she's just a big softie."

Zethrid growled and started to stand. Matt actually thought she was going to jump over the fire onto Ezor, but she stopped when Acxa gave her a warning look.

"Now isn't the time to fight amongst ourselves," Acxa said.

While Acxa's face was impassive, Matt could hear an underlying tension in the sentence. Acxa was on edge and Ezor was nervous about something. Matt wondered what could have the infamous group so tense, but quickly decided that he was likely better off not knowing.

Luckily, Matt was given a distraction when his hand spasmed again. He grimaced, more in irritation then pain, and held the hand against his chest.

"Sorry we couldn't fix your hand," Ezor said, sounding genuinely upset. "Lotor said that nerves are best just left alone to heal by themselves."

"No big deal," Matt reassured her. "Healing my leg is… amazing. Thank you."

Matt couldn't help but smile when Ezor beamed at him again. How had he ever seen her as the enemy?

And when had it stopped?

Kova yowled from his spot on Matt's lap, making everyone jump. He leaped to Narti's shoulder as the faceless alien rose and pointed to the tunnel behind Acxa.

The generals hurried to stand, and Matt scrambled to follow their example. Tension had noticeably risen in the cave, and even Ezor became serious. Acxa was starting to move, when a familiar figure appeared from the tunnel behind her.

Lotor walked slowly to the tunnel's end. He held onto the wall with one hand and his shoulders slumped the slightest bit forward, but his head was high and his eyes were stern.

"We need to evacuate."

"Sir." While Acxa's posture remained straight, her tone sounded like she should have been bowing. "What is happening?"

"Now is not the time for questions," Lotor hissed. "We're going, now!"

Acxa's eyes narrowed. "Zethrid, prepare the ship. Ezor, get our supplies. Narti, help me. Matthew, get your stuff."

"Where are we going?"

Matt's question wasn't answered as Ezor shoved him down the tunnel that he had first come through. He frowned, but went to the small cave and collected his gear into his pack. He put on his helmet, grabbed the blanket that had served as the divider, then turned toward the main cave.

 _Boom!_

A massive explosion shook the cave, nearly throwing Matt to the floor. He hurried back to the big cave.

Acxa stood at Lotor's shoulder; the prince stared, aloof, into space. Ezor had several packs in her arms, and Narti was putting out the fire.

"What was that?" Matt demanded. "Who's firing?"

Lotor flatly gave the answer. "Voltron."

* * *

 **A/N: Hopefully Ezor didn't come out sounding TOO much like Pinkie Pie. I've been catching up on my MLP to hold me off for the new season of Voltron. XD**


	6. Wrath of the Green Lion

**A/N: It would appear to be the common consensus that chatterbox Ezor is a no-go. XD Don't worry, that only happens when she's worried and trying to distract. Guest reviewer Pidge actually gave a really good run-down on when and why Ezor would talk more or less.**

 **And! Another guest reviewer KatieGunderson gave me a cookie! -munches- :D**

* * *

Voltron? Matt's first thought was that Lotor was mistaken.

"If this if Voltron-" Matt cut off as another explosion rocked the cave, then hurried on, "Why are they firing at us?!"

"It is us, not you, that they are after," Lotor pointed out.  
"And I think you know why they want to shoot at us," Ezor said with a grin.

Matt blinked. "Oh. Right. But you didn't attack them!"

"It is unusual," Lotor mused. "They must have moved onto the offense."

"We can't take them right now," Acxa said. She ducked her head when Lotor turned his face toward her. "We are unprepared and this planet has no means of defense."  
An explosion had the group stumbling around the cave. Acxa jerked Lotor forward as a section of the roof fell where they had been standing.

"Sometimes there is more to learn in study than battle," Lotor said, as if he and Acxa hadn't nearly been crushed. "We will retreat for now."

Obvious relief passed across Acxa's face. Narti, with Kova still on her shoulder, darted down the tunnel. Acxa and Lotor followed, then Ezor and Matt tailed them.

The group emerged into a cloud of dust, making Lotor and the generals cough. Matt had his mask to keep the dust out, and turned his face up.

Five lions flew across the sky. The Green Lion was doing the shooting as it circled. The Blue and Red Lions hung back, outside the planet's atmosphere. The Black and Yellow were… Matt wasn't quite sure, but they appeared to be trying to restrain the Green Lion.

The Black Lion kept diving at the Green Lion with gaping jaws and reaching paws, but the smaller lion dodged away from each attempt. The Yellow Lion flew in front of the Green Lion like it was trying to stop its shots.

"What are they doing?" Ezor asked, also watching the lions.

"It must have to do with why they attacked," Lotor said. "Something has happened to the green paladin."

Acxa looked quickly at him. "Do you think she got to him, too?"

Lotor's eyes narrowed. After a few ticks, he said, "No, this is something else."

A blast hit the ground concerningly close, making them stumble.

"We can determine what it is later," Lotor said decisively.

"Yes, later would be great," Matt said. "Where's your ship?"

Ezor pointed to the hill behind the tunnel entrance. While Matt watched, the "hill" flickered to reveal a ship for a second before returning to the appearance of stone.

Matt gaped. "Camouflage?"

"When it's working," Ezor said.

"Well, now we know how they found you," Matt commented.

A few laser blasts shot from the front of the "hill," but the lions easily dodged. And since it was still on the ground, the ship was a sitting duck!

"Get to your ship," Matt said, turning to run in the opposite direction. "I'll buy you some time!"

Ezor snagged his arm before he could take off. "Isn't that a bit risky?"

"Nah, Voltron is big on protecting the innocent, right?" Matt said.

"I'd hardly call you innocent," Ezor teased, releasing his arm. "But I thought we were the enemy, remember?"

Matt smirked. "Today, we're on the same side. We can go back to being enemies tomorrow."

Ezor laughed. "Deal!"

Matt threw a hasty Earth salute to the Galran, then limp-hopped as fast as he could manage. Determined to catch the attention of the pilots, Matt waved his arms and yelled.

"Hey! Look down here! Hello, I need help!"

Luckily, the Yellow Lion slowed to a stop, massive head turning toward Matt. Relieved, Matt stood still and continued to wave his arms. Behind the Yellow Lion, the Green Lion stopped as well and turned toward Matt.

"That's it, just focus on me," Matt murmured, watching Lotor and the generals reach their now-revealed ship from the corner of his eye. He reached out with wide hands, and called loudly, "I could use a ride!"

The Yellow Lion drifted closer, probably wondering about the loony person on the ground during a battle. The Green Lion's mouth opened, like it was getting ready to talk or…

Or shoot.

Matt had a tick's warning as the Lion's mouth began to glow. He turned to bolt, then a powerful blast struck the ground and threw him. He flew off the ground, then hit hard on his feet. Unable to remain on his feet, he tumbled head-over-heels, eventually coming to a stop on his back.

"What-" Matt groaned as pain shot through his right shoulder, where some debris had hit him. "I thought you were the good guys!"

The Green Lion prepared to fire again, only for the Black Lion to drop down on it. Taking advantage of the distraction, Matt rolled and thrust himself to his feet.

A quick check found his armor scratched from the stony ground, but still intact. His right arm was hard to move, but that was normal for Matt after an explosion. There was a gap in his armor at the shoulder, and debris often lodged inside. With no further damage that he could see, he bounded for the tunnel, checking over his shoulder.

The Green and Black Lions were tustling wildly. The Green Lion broke free and raised its head to fire again. Matt braced himself, but the shot never came.

Lotor's ship rammed into the two Lions, sending them spinning away. They straightened and roared a challenge, apparently on the same side once again.

A smaller ship launched from Lotor's to buzz around the Green Lion's head. It snapped at the small ship and turned away. A bunch of the tiny, sentry-flown ships -which Matt called mosquitoes- came out of Lotor's ship to distract the other lions.

Meanwhile, Matt had reached the tunnel. He stopped in panic when he saw the tunnel had collapsed. He spun to face the heightening battle above him, and wondered where he could hide.

"Matthew!"

The answer came in a voice from behind that scared Matt half to death.

Matt spun around again in time to see a small pod appear out of thin air. Ezor was poking her head out of the door and waving him in.

Matt didn't hesitate. He limped to the pod and leaped into the tiny hold.

"We've got him!" Ezor yelled toward the cockpit, where Narti sat at the controls.

The pod rose up, while Lotor's larger ship provided cover fire. Matt jerked off his helmet, then gripped the wall as Narti was forced to swerve off to the side. Ezor simply braced her feet, worried eyes fixed on the front port.

"I thought Voltron was going to help you," Ezor said.

"So did I," Matt said. "Maybe take me as a prisoner, but at l thought they would want me _alive_!"

Ezor raised an eyebrow. "Why do you always think that everyone wants to take you prisoner?"

Matt shrugged. "Pheobs on the run, I guess."

The pod reached Lotor's without major incident and landed. Ezor and Narti hurried out, and Matt followed them to to a lift that took them to the bridge. Following Ezor's stern command to stay out of the way, Matt stood alongside the console near the steps of the oval bridge.

Zethrid was enthusiastically manning the weapons -all of them- from the corner opposite of Matt. Acxa stood in the middle of the bridge, scanning multiple holo-screens hovering in front of her. Lotor was missing, likely flying the smaller ship.

Ezor stood beside Zethrid and pulled up a holo-screen. "Wow, our shields are a mess."

"I didn't have any way to get out of the way," Zethrid snapped.

"It is just as well," Acxa cut in. "We are not sticking around. Narti, start charging the ion cannon."

Narti, standing across from Ezor, started working on her holo-screen with Kova watching intently from her shoulder.

From the main port, Matt could see the battle, if it could really be called that. Most of the mosquitoes had been destroyed, and the smaller ship was busy dodging the Green Lion and blasts from the Yellow and Black Lions.

"Sir," said Acxa, who Matt realized had an image of Lotor in front of her as well. "We have Matthew and are preparing to divert power to the ion cannon."

"Leave the ion cannon," Lotor said. "We'll need all the power we have to make the jump."

"Yes, sir," Acxa said. "But our shields are at 30%."

"Open the dock doors and leave the fighters," Lotor said.

Matt's eyes fell on the holo-screen that hovered a few feet in front of him. It had appeared automatically when Ezor pulled up hers. His eyes scanned the data scrolling across it: shield percentages, weapons' charge, the status of the few mosquitoes still flying, and all the other data from the ship.

Matt stepped closer, eyes narrowing in thought. There was nothing for the mosquitoes to do. Their instructions were to simply fly and shoot, with no evasive maneuvers in their programming. It was no wonder that they were being shot down so quickly!

Slowly lifting his left hand, Matt eyed the generals. Surely no one could object if he helped the mosquitoes along, right? Lotor couldn't evade the Lions well enough to get back to the main ship, it seemed, but if the mosquitoes reacted properly…

Matt tentatively tapped the screen. He felt like helping Lotor was betraying the Resistance, but at the same time, how could he not? Lotor and the generals had saved his life, he kind of owed them. Plus, the Lions didn't act like they were ready to take prisoners, and Matt didn't want anyone dying that day.

With that thought in mind, Matt lifted both hands and went to work. In a few short ticks, Matt had control of two of the remaining mosquitoes. He turned them to buzz right past the Yellow Lion's face, pulling it up from its pursuit of Lotor.

"Two of the fighters' navigations systems are down," Ezor reported.

Matt jerked his hands down, but Acxa didn't act concerned with the mosquitoes.

"Just be ready to fire the engines once Lotor is inside," Acxa said.

Matt grinned and went back to work. There was a dozen mosquitoes left, and Lotor was blocked off from the main ship by the Black Lion.

Matt gained control of a third ship, but his hand spasmed on the fourth, sending it out-of-control to crash into the Green Lion's face.

The Green Lion spun briefly, then corrected to hover at the Yellow Lion's side. Both Lions were momentarily distracted, so Matt turned his three mosquitoes to shoot on the Black Lion, knowing they wouldn't even dent the Lion. The distraction worked, and the small ship shot between the Lion's paws and toward the main ship.

Matt spared a glance at the generals, and saw they were still occupied with fighting and preparations for the jump. He sent his mosquitoes after the Red and Blue Lions, who had an amusingly hard time hitting the tiny crafts.

"We have Lotor," Acxa said a few ticks later. "Fire at the Blue Lion, then make the jump once we're clear."

"Um, we are clear," Ezor said.

Sure enough, it was nothing but empty space ahead of the ship. The three closest Lions were behind the ship from pursuing Lotor and were being held there by Zethrid's shooting. The Red and Blue Lions had moved out of line in their attempts to take out Matt's mosquitoes.

"Then go!" Acxa ordered.

Ezor pressed a button, then everything blurred outside the ports. Acxa and Narti didn't respond to the escape, but Zethrid grumbled about the short fight and Ezor gave a small cheer. Matt dismissed the screen and stepped back with a grin. They'd made it.

Everyone turned as the door to the bridge slid open. Lotor strode onto the bridge from the stairs opposite of Matt. He moved to the large seat between the two sets of stairs, but remained standing as his gaze slid across the bridge.

"Who took control of the fighters?" Lotor asked. His voice was quiet.

"The fighters?" Acxa repeated. "No one, sir."

Matt didn't speak up, uncertain on how Lotor would take his interference. He hoped that if no one admitted to it, Lotor would think the mosquitoes helping would be coincidence.

"The flight patterns were vastly out of the ordinary," Lotor said, looking at Matt.

Matt raised his left hand defensively. "Okay, okay, it was me. It was just that-"

Matt broke off. He didn't want to suggest that Lotor had needed any help. Even if Lotor didn't take offense, something told Matt that the generals really would. He scrambled for a decent explanation.

"Just that… I was curious on how the Lions would respond to attacks on small, multiple fronts," Matt said, using the same reasoning that Lotor had earlier.

Ezor face-palmed. Acxa and Zethrid glared. Lotor's expression didn't change.

"Ezor." Lotor turned to Ezor, who quickly lowered her hand. "Take Matthew to one of the empty dorms and make sure he stays there."

Ezor nodded and saluted in Galra fashion. Matt hurriedly did the same, hoping he hadn't angered Lotor. The prince was impossible to read. As Matt turned, he heard Ezor gasp.

"Matthew, you're bleeding!"

Matt froze. "I am?"

Matt felt Ezor gently touch his right shoulder and arm. "Yeah, there's something sticking out of your armor and you're _bleeding._ "

Lotor pressed a hand to his forehead. "Then bring him to the infirmary first."

"It can't be that bad," Matt said, craning his neck back. "I mean, it doesn't even hurt."

"It still needs to be checked," Lotor said.

Matt looked at Lotor. The prince was reaching back with his other hand toward the armrest. His eyes were half-closed like his mind was elsewhere. Ezor suddenly pushing on Matt's shoulder made him yelp.

"Ow! Okay, it hurts a little," Matt admitted.

"Just go!" Acxa snapped.

Matt frowned at her, wondering what she had against him. Ezor started pushing him toward the door. Zethrid's fists clenched and Narti abruptly turned.

Afraid he had crossed some boundary to get a response from all the generals, Matt was ready to go ahead and leave when Lotor's quiet voice stilled everyone.

"Acxa, you have the bridge."

That said, Lotor's eyes rolled back and his legs collapsed from under him. He fell backward into the chair, body lolling limply to the side. Acxa started quickly toward him, then Ezor pushed Matt up the stairs and out the door.

* * *

 **A/N:** **Unfortunately, we never saw how the generals would react to Lotor being ill/injured, so I'm guessing on them.**

 **Guest review responses!**

 **KatieGunderson: I love that line, too! XD Thanks for letting me live, or else everyone would have been left with cliffies. 0_0**

 **Pidge: Thanks! I had to write good Lotor because him going psycho is one of my only complaints to the show. And thanks for the insight on Ezor, I'm going to keep it in mind when I write her from now on and hope I can keep the sly, quirky Ezor we all love. Yes, I almost lost it when I realized that we saw the original paladins! (If we see how they died, I think I might die.)**


	7. Closing Doors and Reaching Out

**A/N: Oh, quiznak, I'm sorry everyone. I did not intend to leave this for** ** _three months_** **. But, I'm back now, so let's see where this goes.**

 **While I was absent, I did fix up the previous chapters a bit. Nothing much, mainly details. Anyway, there's a big ol' ramble back in the first chapter if you are interested.**

 **A quick change on my previous note of how this follows canon, the events on Puig were exactly the same as canon, except it was a Blade of Marmora the generals "missed" that called Voltron. A tweak on canon is that the paladins' helmet visors are like a one-way mirror, so no one knows what they look like unless the helmet is removed.**

 **This chapter title is really funny to me because it sounds symbolic, but it's actually being literal. XD If someone knows how to make Matt's coding process in this chapter sound more real, I'm all ears.**

* * *

Taking the door beside the one that led to the lift, Matt and Ezor emerged into a long, dimly lit hall. Ezor paused, looking back at the closed door. Matt eyed her nervously.

"Acxa's got it under control," Ezor declared, facing abruptly forward.

"So… everything's okay?" Matt said slowly as Ezor walked by.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Ezor asked over her shoulder.

"Taking you word for it," Matt muttered, hurrying after her.

Despite her confident words, Ezor's frown was impossible to miss. She glanced back now and then, expressive face clenched.

Matt searched for a distraction, then remembered her chatter while they had been on the ground. He had thought that it had been a distraction for him, but he was starting to wonder if it might have also been one to Ezor.

Only one way to find out.

"Are these all dorms?" Matt asked, gesturing to a door. There was a door roughly every ten feet, on alternating sides of the hall.

"There's no dorms on the in the front section," Ezor readily explained. "The holds and hanger and take up more than half of the front of this ship and the two levels in the back. It's quicker to take the halls to get to the infirmary. Past these walls, though, is open space. We're above the fighter hanger, I think."

"The ship isn't that big, though," Matt noted. "Where's the dorms?"

"Third level in the back of the ship," Ezor explained. "That's where the dorms, infirmary, armory, and training rooms are. There's never anyone else on this ship for long. Right now, it's just Lotor, Acxa, Zethrid, Narti, myself, and you. And Kova, of course."

"I haven't seen Kova since the bridge," Matt said.

"He likes to wander," Ezor said. "Narti knows where he is at all times. Lotor always seems to know, too. He gave Kova to Narti, so I guess we shouldn't be surprised. Lotor has a lot of surprises, like-"

"I don't want to know," Matt interjected. "The less I know when I leave, the better. Assuming Acxa lets me go."

"Oh, she'll be the first to shove you into a pod and shoot you into space," Ezor said. She started scaling a ladder at the end of the hall. "Why are you even so eager to leave?"

Matt followed Ezor, slower in favor of his right arm. "Why do you think?"

Ezor hopped off the ladder and looked down at Matt. "It's because we're Galra, isn't it? You said that Lotor is evil, because he's Galra."

"Believe it or not, no," Matt puffed, regretting his poor excuse making skills. "I've met a lot of Galra. Some tried to kill me, but more have helped me." He accepted Ezor's outstretched hand and let himself get pulled into a new hall. "On some Galra-occupied planets that I've traded, you can't even tell that they are 'occupied.' Galra and the inhabitants live in peace with each other."

"So… why?" Ezor asked, frowning at Matt without moving.

"Why do I want to get away from you guys?" Matt hunched his shoulders, wincing at the pull. "I never asked to be part of a war. But if I have to be here, I'd rather not be in the thick of things. And, well, I can't expect things to remain calm around the prince of the empire."

"Fair point," Ezor said. She turned away and kept walking. "But why wouldn't you want to be here? Sure, sometimes coming across Voltron doesn't go quite the way it should, but we do have less life-threatening excitement."

Matt doubted that, but didn't bother arguing. He listened to Ezor list off some of their adventures. Once he was sure she would remain distracted, he tuned her out in favor of thinking back to the incident on the bridge.

There hadn't been any visible wounds on Lotor. If his collapse had been because of injury, he would have been taken from the room ahead of Matt toward the infirmary anyway. Add to the fact that, while alarmed, none of the generals had acted particularly surprised. Lotor must have been suffering from something beforehand, and had only succumbed to it on the bridge.

Whatever the cause, Matt was sure that he wasn't supposed to see the heir to the Galra empire show such weakness. Matt did trust the generals to not harm him -if they had wanted to do so, they could have many times over by then- but that didn't mean that he wouldn't become a prisoner for real to keep their secrets.

A hand on his shoulder and Ezor's voice startled Matt from his thoughts.

"And here's the infirmary!"

Ezor opened the door and steered Matt into the sterile white room he had been in before.

"Take off your armor," Ezor said, going over to a cabinet.

Matt complied the best he could. He got off the armor on the lower parts of his body, but he couldn't raise his right arm higher than his shoulder or reach his other arm due to whatever was lodged in the shoulder of his armor.

Matt stretched his left arm as far as he could, but he still couldn't reach the armor on his right arm. He grunted and strained futilely for a dobosh before a snort made him realize that he was circling in his attempts. He froze, lifting his sheepish gaze to Ezor's amused face.

"How's that working for you?" Ezor asked with a wide grin.

"It's not."

Matt tried to lower his arms, but his right arm didn't move. The armor joints were even more locked up from his struggling.

"A little help?" Matt pleaded, very aware of how pathetic he looked.

Ezor snickered as she went behind him to help. She hummed a little bit as she poked around. When the debris wriggled, Matt yelped.

"This is going to be tricky," Ezor decided.

"Clean out the debris in the joints first," Matt said, twisting his head back.

"Can't. The rock that cut you is blocking the joints," Ezor said. "I'll have to remove that before I can get your shoulder joints cleaned out."

"Just do- _ow!_ "

Matt jerked away from Ezor as the dull pain abruptly flared. He spun and glared at Ezor, who had a big, bloody splinter of stone in her hand. He grabbed his shoulder with his free hand, feeling warmth ooze between his fingers.

"You could have warned me!" Matt exclaimed.

"Why? Then you would have been tense, and it would have been harder to take out. It could have even broken," Ezor said.

Matt narrowed his eyes. "Just help me get this armor off."

By the time Ezor had the joints freed and helped Matt pull his armor off Matt's back was sticky with blood and his whole arm was tingling. He tugged his arm out of the sleeve and moved his shirt slightly down.

"That's disgusting," Matt groaned, catching sight of his bloody back in a mirror.

He wasn't feeling sick or dizzy, though, so Matt figured that it just looked worse than it actually was. That, or shock hadn't worn off.

"I've seen worse," Ezor said easily.

Ezor set to work in wiping the blood away from the wound. Her less-than-gentle efforts had Matt yelping and twitching, but Ezor firmly held him still with her hands while her tentacle cleaned the wound.

"Don't be a hatchling," Ezor said after Matt's dozenth yelp. "Here, this will help."

Something cool and slimy was slapped onto Matt's shoulder. He winced, then blinked when the pain faded. He turned his head to see the white-green substance that Ezor was wiping on the wound.

"You couldn't have done that sooner?" Matt asked.

"Nope," Ezor said, grinning.

Ezor pressed a wad of cloth to the wound, then wrapped a bandage around Matt's shoulder to hold it in place.

"Looks good," Matt said as he inspected his bloody shirt.

"Put this on," Ezor said.

Matt took the creamy white shirt that Ezor offered, but didn't switch shirts. He still had his data pad between his shoulder blades, and didn't want Ezor to see it on the off chance it had gone unnoticed until then.

Ezor cocked her head when Matt didn't put the shirt on, then shrugged. "Narti's better at the medicking thing. But, it'll do."

Matt was dying to ask what had happened with Lotor, but made himself ignore that in favor of another question. "Do you guys have a healing pod on this ship?"

Ezor snorted. "For a little cut like that?"

"I'm not talking about using one for this," Matt said, rolling his eyes. "It's just that there isn't one in here. Do you keep your pod in another room?"

"We don't have a pod."

Matt blinked at Ezor. He opened his mouth, then closed it, blinked again, then pointed wordlessly at his leg.

"Oh, right." Ezor frowned. "Um… long story. Come on, let's find you a dorm."

Odd, Matt would have thought that Ezor loved to tell long stories. But, he knew his cue to not ask. He gathered up his stuff and let Ezor lead him from the room again.

* * *

"Here you are, this is your dorm for now. Someone'll be here soon to get you, so no wandering off. Take a nap, you look like you could use it. The bathroom's through that door."

Ezor finished the rapid announcement by gently shoving Matt in the back, pushing him into the room. He turned back in time for Ezor's final statement.

"Stay."

Ezor closed the door before Matt could say a word. Pressing an ear to the door, Matt could hear Ezor's footsteps rapidly fading.

For curiosity's sake, Matt put his hand against the panel beside the door. The door slid silently open.

"Shoot!"

Matt leaped back, letting the door close. He didn't move for a dobosh, expecting one or more of the generals to come running. When none did, Matt relaxed, but still left the door alone.

"Besides," Matt said to himself. "There's more subtle ways to poke around."

Matt turned from the door to get a better look at the dorm. It was spacious and simple. There was a bunk bed in the two far corners of the room, and a shelf at the end of each. A desk sat in the corner to the left, and there was a table with four chairs to the right. The center of the room was empty, without even a rug on the floor. Between the two beds was a door that Ezor had pointed out as the bathroom.

"Not much here," Matt said, eyeing the tech-less room.

Matt poked around the walls of the room, but the only tech he could fine was the hand-pad for the door. And getting into that would be impossible without tools.

Matt finally gave up and went to the bathroom. The drying blood on his back was getting hard to ignore.

Luckily, bathrooms were one of those things that were pretty standard in the many alien civilizations with which he'd come in contact, and the Galra were no different.

Matt stripped off his shirt. He pulled off the slim pouch and set it to the side, then used a rag to clean off his back as well as he could with one arm. Once he'd gotten as much blood cleaned off as he could, he picked up the pouch and dumped the contents on the counter.

The small bag was made of a leather-like material. It was disgustingly stained, even after Matt cleaned it, but it had kept the contents clean.

Matt picked up the data pad and studied it to ensure that it was really undamaged. He couldn't see any signs of damage or tampering, so he replaced it.

Then, he picked up a simple black disk the size of his thumb. Turning it in various directions, Matt ensured that the two miniscule levers were still firmly in place. Nodding, Matt put the disk beside the data pad, then he slipped the pouch back between his shoulder blades.

Matt put on the fresh shirt. He ensured that the pouch didn't make any bulges, then left the bathroom. He froze with a startled yelp.

A Galra was standing in the dorm, holding Matt's pack and helmet. He appeared to be full-blooded, with his purple skin and darker purple markings on his face. His wide ears and pure yellow eyes seemed too big for his narrow face, and he held his tall, scrawny frame in a slightly hunched position. He wore a long-sleeved purple tunic, gray pants, and black shoes.

After a long minute of silent staring, the Galra made a small nodding motion, then set the pack and helmet on the table. Matt saw two thin strands of braided hair as he turned to leave.

"Wait!" Matt said hurriedly.

The Galra flinched and fled from the room, the door closing behind him. Matt ran after him, only to slam into the suddenly immobile door.

"What the ruggle?!" Matt demanded, rubbing his nose. "I just wanted to talk!"

He put his hand to the pad, but it gave an odd beep and the door didn't open. He stepped back to glare at the door, then tried again. This time, the door opened.

Matt peeked down the hall in either direction. No Galra. No one at all.

"I have got to be dreaming," Matt said, though he knew full well by that point that he was wide awake. He retreated to the nearest bed to sit. "Lotor wouldn't help a rebel, and Galra don't run away like that. Not without…" Matt frowned. "He wasn't armed. I have… never seen an unarmed Galra. Is he a servant? No, according to Ezor, there shouldn't even be anyone else on this ship. A spy?" Matt turned the thought around a bit longer, then stood. "Time to get to the bottom of things."

Now that Matt had his gear, he could do what he did best. Snoop.

Matt picked up his helmet, and put it on. While he preferred to keep this method a secret, there was only so much coding one could do one-handed. He sat on the bed, crossing his legs comfortably, and mentally activated his helmet.

Holographic screens lit up the inside of the helmet, bathing Matt's face in soft blue light. The three screens were blank, but Matt quickly changed that with a thought and slight motion of his left hand. In ticks, he pulled up access screens for the ship. Another thought, and his entry process was started.

"I love Olkiridan tech," Matt said as the screens blinked, and he had access to the ship.

Olkarion tech was fairly simple to pick up, as long as one could find a working headband and "willing" plants. Thanks to Matt's connections with the Resistance, he had a headband of his own.

Akiridion tech, though, was more complicated. It required a being with a telepathic connection to the tech. Akiridions were some of the few alien races to pull it off, because they had a unique body that was _made_ of energy. The same energy that was their tech. With a simple thought and wave of their hand, they could power up an entire building. They could construct things without ever touching the pieces!

The things Akaridians could do were beyond anything Matt thought he could ever attain. With his physical body, there was no way to interact with Akaridian tech.

Unless three very determined individuals decided to change that. Matt, an Olkari named Renus, and an Akiridion scientist named Nahar had spent a month integrating their three kinds of tech into three Olkaridan headbands. After that, each could interact with Olkari, Akiridion, and Earth tech.

Matt paused in his searching as he thought of the other two scientists. Renus had been gone on a supply run during "the incident" and Nahar had been hidden away as Matt had. He had no way of knowing where they were, or…

Matt shook his head and focused on his task. Months of practice meant that he knew the Galra systems inside and out, and breaking into Lotor's systems was easy.

Like, way too easy.

Matt held his hand in a "stop" motion, halting his computer search. It was one thing to break so easily into a Galra cruiser system. It was something completely different to do the same thing on the ship of the Galran prince. It shouldn't have been that simple.

Matt scanned the systems he'd slid into, searching for a trap. Something to backfire and fry his tech. Possibly his head, seeing as how his computer was in the helmet…

"You're head's still intact, stop being paranoid," Matt chided himself.

Moving away from the ship's data logs, Matt focused on the security. He slipped into the camera logs and searched for Lotor and the generals.

The halls were empty. There wasn't any signs of anything moving, alive or robotic.

"Wouldn't there be at least some sentries?" Matt mumbled.

A minute later, Matt finally located three of the generals. Acxa, Zethrid, and Ezor were standing around a door. Matt checked the map he'd pulled of the ship, and found that they were standing outside of a "restricted" area. Not that that would keep him out, but Matt focused on the hall and activated the audio.

"-stay put for now," Acxa was saying. "Zethrid, make sure no one gets close enough to be curious. If they do, discourage them."

"Any means necessary?" Zethrid asked.

Acxa shook her head. "The usual means, Zethrid."

"Our camouflage is a mess," Zethrid grumbled. "We can't hide with it."

" _Hide?"_ Matt thought. " _Since when do Galra hide?"_

"Then we will lay low, until we can get it repaired," Acxa said.

"Why don't we go to the colony?" Ezor suggested. "We did that last time, remember?"

"We should," Acxa said lowly. "Lotor cannot be out of contact for a movement or more. But considering our… company, we cannot until he is gone."

The only thing Matt understood of the conversation was the getting rid of the company part. He really, really hoped that only included dropping him off on an asteroid.

"We can't even get there," Zethrid said with a snort. "Lotor blocked the navigation files, remember?"

Matt glanced to the side and pulled up the navigation logs. It was encrypted, much more securely than access to the ship systems had been. If Lotor had been the one to encrypt it, Matt wondered if that made him the nerd of the group.

He snorted to himself, then focused back on the generals.

"We lay low," Acxa said firmly.

The door that they stood beside opened, and Narti stepped out. Kova was absent. Narti put out her hand, and Acxa moved her arm so that they touched.

"How's Lotor?" Acxa asked.

Narti didn't respond, obviously. Except, Acxa nodded after a minute and spoke as if she had.

"Sleeping now."

 _What?_

"We'll stay here as long as we can," Acxa said. "Ezor, would you see that our… guest stays out of trouble."

Ezor nodded eagerly. Acxa was about to go on, when her wrist-comp beeped. She glanced at it, then muttered something under her breath.

"Not now," Acxa said louder. Walking quickly away, she called over her shoulder, "You three, get to the bridge."

"Where are you going?" Ezor asked.

"Now!"

The three generals bolted. Acxa resumed her stalking pace through the halls. She typed rapidly at her wrist-comp, grimacing and muttering as she did. Matt watched her, pulling up new screens as needed, wondering what could have the level-headed general so obviously fuming.

He was so intent on watching her, it wasn't until he glanced at the ship's map that he'd set to track the generals, that he realized where she was headed. Inhaling sharply, Matt shut everything off and whipped off his helmet a second before the dorm's door opened.

"Hello," Matt said, because he didn't know what else to say.

It was still the wrong thing, based on the slight narrowing of Acxa's eyes. "You hacked into the fighters' systems."

Matt coughed. "'Hack' is such a strong word…"

"But you did. What have you been doing since Ezor left you here?"

"Um… sitting here."

There was a reason that Matt did all of his spying on a computer and out of view of those on whom he was spying.

"Just as well," Acxa muttered. She waved impatiently for him to follow. "Come on."

Matt scrambled to follow, wincing when his stiff shoulder moved. He snagged his helmet and jogged after Acxa.

Acxa was silent as she walked, a stark contrast of Ezor's constant chatter. Her footsteps were silent, even. Matt attempted to walk lightly, but his shoes squeaked.

It was never an issue _before_ , when he had normal company that didn't mind _talking._

Matt wracked his brain for something to say, then remembered the Galra in his room. "Hey, Ezor, said that it's just Lotor and you four on this ship."

"Correct," Acxa said shortly.

"I saw someone else earlier."

"You saw your reflection?"

" _Was that a joke?"_ Matt shook his head and said, "No, another Galra."

Matt barely had time to register Acxa spinning on her heel, then he was slammed into the wall with Acxa's hands on his shoulders. Mouth gaping to try and regain his breath, Matt stared wide-eyed at Acxa's furious glare inches from his face.

"The only Galra on this ship are Lotor and us four generals," Acxa said, voice chillingly low. "If you are smart, you will never mention even the possibility otherwise, understand?"

"Yep, totally," Matt said, voice definitely _not_ squeaking.

Acxa dropped her hands and turned away, as if the conversation had never happened. Matt hurried to follow. He didn't try talking for the rest of the walk.

* * *

One unnervingly silent walk later, the pair reached the bridge. Zethrid was busy in her nook, with Narti standing behind her with a hand on her shoulder. Ezor was watching the door, and brightened when she saw Acxa and Matt.

"Go there," Acxa said, jerking her head toward the holo-screen in the center of the bridge. She was still busy on her wrist-comp, her actions having grown increasingly harsh as she walked.

Matt raised his hands, then looked at her. "What am I doing?"

"You can break into systems. Can you break others out?" Acxa asked.

Matt swallowed a snort at the phrasing. "Of course. I'd be a dead spy in one quintant if I couldn't keep others from tracking me."

"Then stop gloating and get back into the system," Acxa hissed. "Because someone is breaking into this ship's computers!"

Instinct kicked in as Matt wondered why he was helping Lotor again. Of course, Lotor and the generals had been civil with him thus far. There was no point risking falling into the hands of someone more violent.

Hands proved useless as his right twitched, and he saw the foreign coding slip into place. Quickly, he put on his helmet and worked with that.

Matt cleared the intruders from the ship's navigation and controls, but he was too slow in keeping them out of the communication line. Even as he worked on clearing Lotor's systems, Matt lifted his head to face the external screen that popped up.

Six figures stood in an expansive bridge. One was of an alien race Matt didn't recognize, though his build and orange hair and bushy mustache was rather human-looking. He stood formally to the side. The five others wore helmets with visors hiding their faces and armor that was exactly the same, except for the coloring. Black, pink, blue, yellow, and green.

The paladins of Voltron. Fantastic.

"What are you doing hacking into this ship?" Matt asked shortly.

"We need to talk to Lotor," said the black paladin said. Matt had to hide a start at the achingly familiar, but impossible, voice.

The black paladin stood at the front of the group and, if legends were true, he was the leader. He had the authoritative voice of one.

Matt snorted, telling himself to focus. "He's not here."

Acxa gave him a sharp look. Matt waved a hand at her in a "keep calm" gesture. The paladins on the screen could only see him.

"Then call him so that we may speak," said the paladin in pink armor. She had a female voice, and sounded as if she was used to be obeyed.

"Who says he's even here?" Matt persisted. "You've got the wrong ship."

"Oh, no, we don't," said the green paladin. That one's voice was weird, but Matt thought it was female.

Unlike the others, the green paladin sat at a console, typing away. That was the hacker of the group.

" _She'll have to try harder than that,"_ Matt thought, mentally brushing the paladin's coding out of the ship's weapon system. He smirked at the way the paladin's head jerked up. He wished he could see her expression or show off his own.

"We know Lotor's ship," the green paladin went on in her gravelly voice that cracked on the higher sounds.

The orange-haired alien leaned down to murmur something to the green paladin. He straightened after a few seconds and spoke in a slightly accented voice.

"We can see the whole bridge."

Matt closed his mouth. Thankfully, Acxa took over.

"Then you can see that Lotor is not on the bridge."

The blue paladin put their hands on their hips. "Isn't Crazy Prince wanting to gloat over his latest 'victory?'" The paladin -male- did air quotes for the last word.

"Lucky shot," the yellow paladin, also male, muttered. Matt got the sense he was sore over the mosquito hitting his lion.

"We aren't here to discuss the fight," the black paladin said. The blue paladin visibly tensed, helmet cocking slightly away.

" _What's that about?"_ Matt wondered, casually swiping aside the green paladin's attempts to gain overload the ion cannon.

"So, what are you here for?" Acxa asked coldly.

"That is for Prince Lotor's ears alone," said the pink paladin in a rather haughty voice.

"Bossy," Matt muttered. He was too quiet for the paladins to hear, but Ezor smiled slightly.

Matt wondered if the black or pink paladin was in charge. The Black Lion was the head, so he should have been leader, right? Then again, there wasn't a pink lion. Matt had to assume that she piloted the Red Lion, making her the right hand. Were they _both_ in charge?

Matt caught Acxa's hard look and clamped his mouth shut. He ducked his head a little lower, focusing on getting the green paladin out of the ship so they could get away.

"We will inform Lotor that you called for him," Acxa said. "Maybe next time, you can catch him at a more convenient time."

Did the blue paladin just laugh? Whatever he did, it turned into a cough when the other paladins turned his way. The blue paladin muttered something and backed away, as if the other paladins had turned hostile.

That was… not really what Matt was expecting of the paladins of Voltron. The Lions' attack had been a bit of a mess, and the blue paladin had acted nervous of the other paladins twice now. Weren't they supposed to be ancient spirits in physical form, battling evil with power and _unity_?

Then again, Lotor hadn't turned out to be a crazy, power-hungry madman wrecking worlds. That Matt knew of. He'd only seen the prince for less than an hour. And in that time, he had proven he had knowledge of the Resistance that he hadn't used against them, acted like he had no interest in Matt as a prisoner, turned out to be the nerd of the group, and fainted for no apparent reason.

The universe was officially insane.

A ping caught Matt's attention, and he realized that the green paladin was back inside. Scowling, Matt chased down her coding and wiped it out.

Matt glanced up, and realized that both parties had gone silent. Matt figured the generals were keeping quiet to keep from letting anything out, and the paladins seemed to be waiting for the generals to speak.

He hurried to try and cut off communications, but the green paladin had a stubborn grip on it. At least she wasn't able to get into the navigational systems…

Matt grinned at a sly idea. He pulled up an old fallback program for situations such as this, and shoved the green paladin's coding into that. That distracted her long enough for Matt to clear her out of the other programs besides the comms and set up decent firewalls.

"Well, this has been fun," Matt said, grinning when Zethrid, Narti, and the yellow and pink paladins started. "But we've got things to do, and I'm sure you have a universe to save-"

"From you!" the green paladin spat.

"I'm harmless," Matt informed her, working on the near death-grip the paladin's code had on the comms.

"Right," the green paladin snorted. "You only invade worlds and destroy families!"

The last word broke off with a harsh, grating cough. The blue paladin crouched beside her, and the orange-haired alien moved to face her while blocking her from view.

"Lotor has nothing to do with what you are accusing," Acxa said coldly over the sound of the paladin's hacking.

" _Uh, oh, this is going to go downhill, fast,"_ Matt thought.

"Get them out of here," Ezor murmured in his ear.

"I'm trying!" Matt hissed back, fighting to keep the systems clear when the green paladin recovered. When did Ezor even get there?

"No?" And now the pink paladin sounded offended. "Zarkon destroyed numerous worlds and killed countless innocents."

"You do realize that Zarkon and Lotor are two different Galra, right?" Matt had to say.

Ezor subtly elbowed him. "Not helping."

"Lotor did what he had to," Acxa said.

Wait, _what?_ Matt tried to not let himself get distracted. Acxa was just saying things to keep the distract the paladins, right? Lotor wouldn't do those things the green paladin was accusing, would he?

"I don't even know them."

Ezor elbowed Matt again. He started and frowned at her, then realized that neither side was talking once again. Most of them were openly staring at him. Even the green paladin had looked away from her console.

"Was that out loud?" Matt whispered to Ezor.

"Loud and clear," Ezor whispered back.

There was _definitely_ a reason that Matt avoided confrontations like this.

"What do you mean?" asked the orange-haired alien. He was watching Matt with an expression that was almost concerned.

"I don't know… you!" Matt burst out, trying to cover his previous statement. "Last I knew, Voltron was supposed to be spreading peace. How exactly are you doing that?"

"We rid the universe of Zarkon, and intend to see that no new Galran warlord takes his place," the pink paladin said fiercely.

Matt rolled his eyes. "I'd look at my reports if I were you. What has Lotor done?"

The pink paladin sputtered something. Ezor elbowed Matt's side. Matt tried to elbow her back, annoyed at her constant jabs, but she smoothly slid behind him.

"If you don't end this now, Acxa's going to use you for target practice," Ezor hissed.

Matt glanced at Acxa, whose face was impassive as ever, and wondered how Ezor could tell. Still, the paladins -namely the green one- were distracted. Matt hurriedly cleared the systems of the infiltration. The green paladin started, and responded in time to keep the comms open.

"Who do you think you are? Siding with Lotor, then treating _us_ as the enemy?" the pink paladin asked.

"Siding with Lotor?" Matt snorted. "I'm 'siding' with the one who didn't try to kill me as soon as they saw me." The green paladin flinched, freezing long enough for Matt to finally regain control. "As for who I am?"

Here, Matt paused. What could he tell them? He thought back with a grim grin to his first encounter with Voltron.

"Call me Reach."

* * *

 **A/N: For the sake of expanding on personalities (also, it's just fun), you will be seeing non-canon quirks.**

 **The Akiridians are from another show called 3Below. It's an interesting show and the Akiridians are pretty cool. This should be the only out-of-show reference.**

 **Some of you might be wondering where "Reach" came from. One of the changes I made was to include Matt's preferred alias back in the first chapter. Ezor telling Matt to not "be a hatchling" is due the goofy headcannon that Galra are hatched. XD**

 **Guest review responses!**

 **Random Fan: Mission accomplished! XD Yep, this is the first of many... many curveballs.**

 **KatieGunderson: Thanks! Not seeing the paladins' side of things is an issue that I can't really address, unfortunately. I halfway want to have a separate story for the paladins' side of the major scenes, but... -looks at all my WiP's- I wouldn't hold my breath. And another cookie! Good thing digital cookies don't go bad, eh? -munches-**


	8. Getting on Acxa's Nerves

**A/N: Also known as the chapter where Ezor can't keep a secret. Or ten.**

 **This chapter and the next two kind of have a filler feel. But, it was either that or a time lapse, and I'm pretty sure you all don't want to miss all this Matt and general interaction.**

* * *

Matt closed out the comms before any of the paladins could respond. He did a quick check to ensure that the green paladin was really out of the ship's systems, then set his own protections to keep her from getting back in. He closed down his computer, and looked up.

"What was that?!" Acxa demanded, face twisted in fury now that they were no longer being watched.

"It was a disaster, that's what," Zethrid said, sounding thoroughly amused.

"Hey, it could have gone worse," Matt said defensively. "You're welcome, by the way."

"I do not see how it could be worse," Acxa seethed. "You could have given everything away!"

"Given what away?" Matt asked, ire rising with unexpected force. "I don't even know what's going on here! Yesterday, my biggest choice was what I was having for lunch. But, now? Now, I'm stuck on a Galran -Lotor's, no less- ship, and I think I've just made enemies with the most powerful spirits in the universe because I had to choose who to trust with less than an hour's worth of information gathering! So excuse me if I 'could have' said something that I don't even know myself!"

Acxa stared at Matt, face once again impassive. Matt scowled, frustrated and slightly terrified by what Acxa would do.

Ezor snickered, breaking the tense silence. "Are you sure we can't keep him?"

"Not happening!" Matt proclaimed, jerking his helmet off to hold in his left hand. "If you all would be so kind as to drop me off at the nearest asteroid, maybe I can pretend that this is one big crazy dream, and you all can go about your lives."

"We are not dropping you off anywhere," Acxa said.

Wishing he had grabbed his staff, Matt slid away from the generals and clenched his fists. "I'm not staying here, no matter what you say or do."

"Acxa doesn't mean it like that," Ezor jumped in. "She just means that if we left you behind, there's others following us who might… well, you've been on Lotor's ship."

"The paladins won't be able to find me, not anytime soon," Matt said, relaxing his hands. They -Ezor, at least- were still looking out for him. "I gave them dummy coordinates to send them in the wrong direction."

"You really think it is the paladins that should concern you?" Acxa asked flatly.

"Like I told them," Matt enunciated slowly, "They tried to kill me on first sight. Why are you brushing them off? They're your enemies, too."

Ezor gave Acxa a pleading look. Acxa scowled, though Zethrid was the one to finally answer.

"You really think the paladins of Voltron are our only enemies?" Zethrid gave a humorless chuckle. "Half the universe wants us dead, and they'll do whatever it takes to whoever it takes to get information on us."

"The only way you can fade into the background without bounty hunters having a way to connect you to us, is Lotor," Acxa said. She addressed the other generals next, "In fact, after this… confrontation, I think it is very clear that we cannot keep up a facade of normalcy by ourselves. We all need Lotor."

"For the record, I did not sign up for this," Matt said with a groan. "And what will it take for Lotor to help me?"

Ezor looked at Acxa, who gave her a sour-faced nod. Ezor bounced a little as she answered, "We need you to get the map for the quantum abyss."

"Woah, woah, you want to go where?" Matt asked, waving his good arm in clear "not happening" signs. "That is the Bermuda Triangle of space! Ships go there, and never get seen again!"

"Which is why it's the perfect place to hide," Ezor said.

"If we go there, it's the perfect place to die," Matt said. "You guys have a death wish? Because I sure don't. I think I'd rather risk bounty hunters."

"We have seen your ability in dealing with bounty hunters," Acxa said. "You would not last one quintant."

"And you could do any better?" Matt asked.

"I am still alive."

Matt blinked. "You aren't joking."

"What part of 'half the universe wants us dead' did you not get?" Ezor asked.

"I thought you just meant Lotor," Matt said. "Which doesn't make sense, either, unless a universal coup can actually happen."

"Why we have enemies is beside the point," Acxa cut in as Ezor opened her mouth. "None of us are going to last long without Lotor keeping his position within the empire. And Lotor is in no condition to do so."

"Can I ask why not?" Matt ventured.

"Yes, but you will not get an answer," Acxa said.

"At least you're honest. Okay, set course for the quantum abyss," Matt said, sighing.

"I give the orders."

Matt held up his hands in deference. Acxa turned away and went to the center of the bridge to set their course.

Shaking his head, Matt went to replace his helmet. He put his right hand against the side of it, then was suddenly scrambling as it slid right past his hand. It hit the ground with a clatter, drawing odd -annoyed from Acxa- looks from the generals.

"Butterfingers," Matt muttered, leaning down to grab the helmet.

His first attempt dropped the helmet again, but this time, Matt chillingly realized why the helmet had dropped. Ignoring the helmet, Matt sat heavily. He grabbed his right hand in his left and squeezed.

"I can't feel my hand." Rubbing frantically at his palm, Matt repeated, "I can't feel my hand!"

Narti was suddenly crouched at Matt side. Brushing away Matt's left hand, she took his right in both of hers. She pinched his fingers one by one, then moved her careful movements across his hand and past his wrist. Matt couldn't feel the pressure until she was nearly at his elbow.

"There, I can feel there," Matt whispered.

"What's wrong, Narti?" Ezor asked, scaring Matt out of his skin once again.

Narti shrugged, then rose to her feet and left.

"That was encouraging," Matt said. He tried to laugh, but it came out shaky.

"Lotor said that some nerve damage had been done," Ezor said, taking Matt's hand to massage it. "Don't worry, once we get to where we are headed, there are medics who know about this sort of thing. They can fix it."

Ezor's confident tone helped ease Matt's worry.

"You think so?" Matt asked. "I'd feel pretty useless with only one working hand. You can only code so much with one hand. And what's a mechanic with only one hand?"

"Resourceful," Acxa said. "Does this mean you cannot access the navigation logs for the quantum abyss?"

"I can do that, don't worry about it," Matt said, exasperated out of his pity party. "It's not as quick, but I do have other methods."

Still on the floor, Matt crossed his legs and replaced his helmet with his left hand. Ezor continued rubbing Matt's hand. Though he couldn't feel it, the thought behind the gesture was calming. He set to work decoding the navigation logs.

* * *

"Why did you give the paladins the name Reach?"

Matt blinked and turned his head to Ezor. She was still on the floor and rubbing his hand. Checking the time on his visor, Matt saw that an hour had passed, and he still hadn't found the route through the quantum abyss. Deciding he needed a break anyway, he pushed up his helmet and rubbed his tired eyes with the palm of his hand.

"It's my alias."

Matt lowered his hand, and looked at the one that Ezor still held.

"You okay?" Ezor asked.

Matt pulled his hand back. He flexed his fingers and grinned. "Good news. I can feel my hand again."

"Now you don't have to worry about mechanicking with one hand," Ezor said with a smirk.

"I'd have figured it out," Matt muttered, lowering his hand.

"Why do you need a fake name?" Ezor asked.

Matt paused from replacing his helmet. "You've never been on the run?"

Ezor started to shake her head, then hesitated. She shrugged. "Before joining Lotor, I wasn't important enough to have to hide my name. I've always been Ezor."

There was something in that statement that needed to be questioned, but Matt couldn't sort out what at that moment.

"Reach is my second alias. For six pheobs, I've been Tof," Matt said.

"And before that, you were Matthew?"

Matt nodded. "Well, most call me Matt, but I like Matthew."

"It's another alias among us," Ezor said, grinning.

Matt chuckled. "Sort of, I guess. Just don't call me Matthew in front of the paladins. Or anyone else, for that matter."

"But, why didn't you tell the paladins that your name was Tof or Matthew?"

"Do you not understand alias'?" Matt asked. "Matthew is my Earth name, and I don't want to leave any traces of Earth behind me. Nothing can lead the empire to my home. As for Tof… well, Tof is just another rebel sacrificed for freedom."

Ezor gave Matt an odd look. "But, you're still alive. I don't understand."

"If the paladins were to connect Reach to Tof, they'd think that the Resistance were working with Lotor. Voltron would turn against the Resistance, then where would we be? All the good guys would be fighting one another."

"What does that make Lotor?" Ezor questioned with that challenging tone.

"In my book, he's the good guy. You all are," Matt said firmly. "Why Voltron doesn't see that-"

"Voltron cannot!" Acxa snapped, making Matt jump. He hadn't realized that she was listening. "That is what you nearly gave away to Voltron, and what you must never mention outside this company."

Matt frowned at her. "If Voltron and Lotor worked together, there wouldn't be any reason to fight. What does Lotor want, anyway?"

"We do not question Lotor's plans," Acxa said stiffly. "All that he does, is for the good of the universe. He has a plan, and it will succeed if others stop meddling in it."

"I know I just got here and it isn't my place, but that just makes no sense," Matt said.

"You are right. It is not your place," Acxa responded.

"I'm in a very delicate position, I'll have you know," Matt said. "I'm a scientist, you can't expect me to just believe everything you say."

"You don't think Lotor is your enemy and you treated Voltron like your enemy," Ezor said critically.

"Need I remind you yet again that Lotor and you four saved my life. Saved my life that Voltron tried to take. Twice, actually, since the green paladin nearly blew up the ship. From a scientific standpoint based on the facts I have gathered, Voltron is my enemy," Matt said.

Acxa groaned, sounding surprisingly exasperated. "Voltron is not your enemy."

"What part of Voltron trying to kill me has not gone through your skull?"

Ezor shrugged. "Voltron has tried to kill us a bunch of times, and they aren't our enemy."

"Ezor!" Acxa yelled.

Zethrid, who was apparently listening in as well, gave a thunderous laugh. "I was wondering how long it would take for her to say that!"

Matt frowned thoughtfully. "From what I have seen, I'd say that you guys and Voltron are enemies. However, if what Ezor says is true -and, based on Acxa's reaction that I doubt was faked, I'd say it is true- then only one of the two sides consider themselves actual enemies. You're fighting Voltron and make them think you are the bad guys, but you aren't. What is it? A distraction? A means to get Voltron elsewhere? Are you just studying them?"

"If you do not stop talking, I am having Narti knock you out again," Acxa threatened.

Matt mimed zipping his lips. He still needed facts, and he couldn't do that if he was unconscious. Besides, it wasn't like Acxa could stop him from thinking, right?

"Focus on getting the logs," Acxa said through gritted teeth.

"He didn't say anything!" Ezor protested. Matt nodded to her.

"I can see him theorizing," Acxa said.

"Okay, so, you want him to stop thinking?" Ezor asked, grinning.

Acxa growled. "I am going to check on Lotor."

"But-" Ezor started.

"Before I do something I regret," Acxa snapped, stalking from the room.

A brief silence fell over the bridge. Zethrid broke it with a laugh.

"I haven't seen Acxa that frustrated since she first met Ezor," Zethrid said, snickering.

"And don't worry, Matthew. I survived. You will, too," Ezor cheerfully informed him.

Matt grinned, and Narti shook her head.

* * *

 **A/N:** **I'm really looking forward to the next chapter. And, yes, that is being said with an evil grin.**

 **Guest reviews!**

 **Random Fan: 3Below is amazing, and I sure hope that what I've read is true. Namely, two more seasons. As for what'll happen next... MEEE NOOO SAAAAYY! XD Luckily, I've been having good luck with writing. (Knock on wood.) -part 2- If I was to do a part from the paladins' P.O.V. it would focus on Lance, but that's all I really have.**

 **soulsilver: Correct. I did write it once, with the added "what?" factor that Galra babies have really, really thick skin, so their mothers clean them from the egg with boiling water. XD Thanks! I'm glad it all works! The Holt siblings recognizing each other's coding is something I'll have to dance around. Although, I kind of get the idea from flashbacks that Matt was more the hacker. (We don't see Pidge doing the secret codes and stuff until after Matt and Sam is gone.) I theorize that Matt developed his own style, and Pidge learned from their mother. I won't answer that last part, because I'm keeping it a surprise on how long I go.**

 **Reviewer: There will be more references in the next chapter, actually.**

 **Random Fan's Sis: Sometimes the most random alias is the one I love the most. I pulled Reach off the top of my head one day when I needed an alias, and it's stuck. Dark would make a very, very good name. Mysterious. Haha, glad you're liking it enough to review in school. XD**

 **KatieGunderson: Yay, cookies! -snatches them. Hands one to Nahar- Oh, if this chapter frustrates you... well, Holt sibling interactions will be very.. interesting. XD Thanks for the review! And the cookies!**


	9. Edge of the Abyss

**A/N: Remember when I said I had two chapters of filler? Well, it's less filler than I originally thought and about three times longer. Since writing and posting smaller chapters is less stressful, I've divided it up a bit so I can post more frequently!**

 **I ended up with several references in here.**

 **New font style used in here: sign language**

* * *

"Do you have the route?" Acxa asked.

Matt nodded, purposefully remaining silent as he had since Acxa had returned an hour before.

"Good, because we are here," Acxa said.

Matt deactivated his helmet and set it aside to look out the main port. He'd only heard stories of the quantum abyss, but never thought he'd see it for himself. He was a bit opposed to the idea of accidentally getting himself sucked into a gravity well, and stretched and stretched until there was nothing left.

It was tricky to tell exactly where the quantum abyss began. Asteroids and chunks of rock swirled around the ship, creating a narrow path for Acxa to navigate. When Acxa slowed the ship for a massive asteroid, Matt saw that the space debris was moving inward.

"Matthew, I need the map," Acxa said.

Matt brought the navigation route onto the main holo-screen. He made an exaggerated "tah-dah!" motion with his hands that was fully ignored.

"Zethrid, ready with the cannons. Ezor, prepare the decoys. Narti, hold on," Acxa said, taking a seat. "Matthew, get off the floor."

Zethrid and Ezor pulled up holo-screens. Narti went to the steps and sat down. Matt stood, wincing as he back popped from sitting on the floor for so long, and followed Narti's example.

"Keep your eyes open for the sentinels," Acxa said.

Matt's eyes widened. He gestured to catch Ezor's attention, then signed, " _The what?_ "

Ezor raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

Acxa tensed. "What?"

"Matthew's doing something with his hands," Ezor said.

Acxa turned to Matt with a frown. Matt resigned the question. Acxa's expression turned perplexed, then annoyed.

"Just say it," Acxa said.

"I can talk now?" Matt's question was answered by a glare. "Oh, um, okay. What's a sentinel?"

"Dangerous creatures that can shred a ship into pieces in a dobosh," Acxa said.

"We have to avoid those while following a very precise path through the quantum abyss?" Matt asked, accidently voicing his next thought. "We're dead."

"I liked it better when you were silent," Acxa growled. She faced forward.

" _Wish granted,"_ Matt signed grumpily.

"What are you doing with your hands?" Ezor asked, watching him.

"Focus, Ezor," Acxa said. "We cannot get distracted."

Ezor nodded and turned back to her holo-screen. Matt waved off their ignoring and sat back to just calmly watch for once.

He should have known that it wouldn't last.

The first warning was a shudder than ran through the ship.

"Quiznak!" Acxa spat.

"I hope that was fit for civilized company," Matt commented.

"Not now, Matthew!" Ezor snapped.

Matt clamped his mouth shut.

"There's three from the rear," Acxa said, hurriedly pulling up new screens.

"Deploying decoys," Ezor said.

"Ready with the cannons…" Acxa focused on one holo-screen. "Now!"

While Matt couldn't see anything, the ship did steady out. Acxa exhaled.

"It was a small group," she said. "Ezor, what were the damages?"

"Only structural," Ezor said.

"I thought you said three," Zethrid complained.

Acxa stiffened. "There was three!"

"I only hit two," Zethrid said.

"Oops, it got inside," Ezor said.

Acxa growled. "Where?"

"Back hanger," Ezor said. She hesitated, then said, "Fourth hanger."

"How did it get inside?" Matt asked.

"Same way it's moving so fast," Ezor said. "Sentinels can teleport."

"Oh, joy."

"Ezor and Zethrid, track it down before it damages the fighters," Acxa said. "Take Matthew with you."

"Let me guess, as bait?" Matt snipped.

Ezor bounded over to him and hauled him to his feet. "Only if you want to be."

Zethrid, meanwhile, opened a nearly invisible compartment under one of the consoles. She took out her big gun, then tossed a smaller gun to Matt.

"Can you use one of these?" Zethrid asked.

Matt fiddled with the gun. "Uh, well, I've read…"

Ezor took the gun and turned it around. "It works best facing forward."

"I knew that."

"You should probably stay behind us," Ezor said with a frown.

Matt agreed whole-heartedly. He followed the two generals off the bridge. They hurried down the hall, Ezor guiding them from her wrist-comp.

"Alright, it's the next-" Ezor suddenly stopped and turned. "It went back one."

Matt collided with Zethrid in dodging out of Ezor's way. The larger general easily caught him by his armor and kept him upright. The trio rapidly backtracked to the door they had passed.

"Yep, it's in here," Ezor said, closing her wrist-comp.

Zethrid opened the door and went into the hanger first, gun at the ready. Ezor pulled out her throwing stars from someplace in her armor and followed.

Matt sighed. "I really didn't sign up for this."

Lifting his gun uncertainly, Matt crept into the hanger. He scanned the large room with dozens of mosquitoes lined up, then realized something.

"What are we looking for?" Matt asked.

"You'll know it when you see it," Ezor said.

"That is incredibly unhelpful," Matt said.

"Stop complaining and help us look," Zethrid scolded, smacking Matt upside the head.

Matt staggered from the hit, bumping into a mosquito. Rubbing his head, he frowned at Zethrid. Something white and moving caught his attention.

"Uh, is that-"

Zethrid didn't bother letting him finish. She spun around and lifted her gun to fire.

The sentinel, a large white thing with one big eye and four armored legs, leaped off of the mosquito on which it had rested. It dodged the blast and gave a loud screech from an unseen mouth. It dove down on the trio, forcing them to leap away.

Matt rolled under a mosquito and pushed himself up to his elbows. He winced upon realizing that he had dropped his gun in the first attack!

"Real smart," he muttered.

Scanning the area, Matt saw that Zethrid was standing beside a mosquito across from him. Ezor and the sentinel were nowhere in sight.

"Did we mention that the sentinels can also turn invisible?" Ezor's voice asked.

Matt jumped, hitting his already hurting head on the bottom of the mosquito with a clunk. He glared at the space beside him.

"Is there anything else you've neglected to mention?" Matt hissed.

"They travel in packs and this one could be calling for back-up right now," Ezor responded.

"Great."

"Wait here for a second."

Matt looked forward again. Zethrid had begun walking slowly around the mosquitos. Matt squirmed forward and checked above, but the sentinel was still out of sight. He eyed his dropped gun, wondering if he should risk going for the weapon.

"Here," Ezor's voice said.

 _Clunk!_

"Could you please stop doing that!"

Ezor reappeared -significantly less startling when he was expecting it- with an unapologetic grin. She wriggled the metal pipe she had offered to him before. Matt snatched it from her, making Ezor's grin grow.

"I think you'll have better luck with that," Ezor said.

"Do you see it?" Zethrid asked, staring up and around. "Ezor, did it leave the hanger?"

Ezor and Matt cautiously left their cover. Sure enough, the sentinel still hadn't appeared. Ezor checked her wrist-comp.

"No, it should still be here," Ezor said

Movement above Ezor caught Matt's eye. Gripping the pipe more firmly, he swung and yelled, "Duck!"

Luckily, Ezor didn't question the order and threw herself to the ground. The pipe whistled over her head, cracking loudly with the sentinel as it dove. It crashed into a mosquito, then fell to the ground. It started to rise, then exploded into sparking bits of metal as Zethrid blasted it.

"Knew you'd be better with a staff," Ezor said, bouncing back to her feet.

Matt dropped the pipe and gingerly rubbed his shoulder. "That had better be the last one."

"We got the sentinel," Ezor reported on her wrist-com. "Any other packs in sight?"

"No, we have left the borders," Acxa responded. "We will be clear. Come back to the bridge before the magillas start."

"Do I want to know?" Matt asked with a wince.

"Oh, the waves can't hurt you," Ezor reassured him. She cocked her head. "Physically."

"Explain," Matt said shortly.

Something outside the ship rumbled, and a low shudder shook the ship. Acxa exclaimed over the comm.

"Already?! Brace yourselves!"

"Close your eyes, Matthew!" Ezor said, lifting her arms to cover her face.

"Why? What's happening?" Matt asked, looking around.

"Don't worry, you won't feel a thing," Ezor said. "Just close your eyes and don't freak out!"

The hanger suddenly started to get brighter. Matt clenched his eyes and shielded his face with his arms as the light became bright enough to turn even the darkness behind his eyelids light.

Then, as suddenly as it came, the light faded. Matt cautiously opened his eyes to darkness. He lowered his arms, glancing nervously around. Beyond his own body, he couldn't see anything. He appeared to be standing on nothing, even!

"D-don't freak out," Matt said shakily. He exhaled. "Right."

* * *

 **A/N: Who's ready for abyss flashbacks? I'm having tons of fun with the next chapter, so see you then!**

 **You probably won't find "magilla" in the dictionary. It's a term from the movie Treasure Planet that referred to powerful surges of light/energy.**

 **Guest review responses!**

 **Random Fan: Ah, you can't _die_ on me! Need one of those shocky things? XD**

 **Random Fan's Sis: It's an epidemic, it would appear. Death by laughter! Maybe I should do serious stuff... Nah! XD Don't die on me, either!**

 **Reviewer: No, unfortunately. I'd say there's a few... hundred years difference in the shows.**

 **KatieGunderson: I get what you're saying. -awkward chuckle- I'd, uh... be careful what you wish for. -innocent whistling- Yay, cookies! -feeds them to tiny Matt on my desk- I have a muse, now. XD**


	10. Some General Background

**A/N: I had tons of fun with this chapter. Way too much fun. XD**

 **I tried my best with explaining the quantum abyss, but it was mostly taken from Krolia's lines in the Razor's Edge episode.**

* * *

Matt turned in a full circle, seeing the same nothing. He took a deep breath to yell for the generals -who had to be nearby, right?- when he heard something besides his own breathing.

A noise like many voices speaking at once became audible, slowly increasing in volume until Matt felt like he was standing in a crowd of people. It was all muted, except for a cheerful humming rising above it all.

Shapes began to appear around Matt, forming into the blurred shapes of many aliens milling around him. Matt squinted, but couldn't make out details. No one responded to his presence, and it took Matt a tick to realize that they were even passing through him!

"Okay…" Matt watched a bulky arm swing through his. "Can I freak out now?"

Before Matt could say anything else, a more solid-looking and familiar figure stepped out of the crowd. Matt stared at her, confused out of his panic.

"Ezor?"

It wasn't quite the Ezor that Matt knew, though. She was younger, appearing as maybe a young teen if Matt had to guess. Ragged clothing swished around her thin frame and dirt smeared her face and coated her body. Nevertheless, her eyes were bright and the humming turned out to be coming from her.

Matt turned as she walked past, as oblivious to him as the rest of the indistinct aliens.

As the younger Ezor weaved through the crowd, her tentacle uncurled from where it rested around her neck. She approached someone more distinct than the crowd, though the cloak and hood hid the alien's identity.

Young-Ezor's tentacle smoothly slid into a pouch poking out at the other's side. She grinned as she continued to move away, then yelped as the second alien's hand whipped out to snag her wrist. She froze, while the second alien turned so Matt could see them.

It was Acxa. Younger, but not as young as teen-Ezor appeared. This Acxa didn't have armor under her cloak, but simple tunic and pants. Her expression was rather fierce, like when the Acxa that Matt knew was raging.

"I believe that is mine," younger-Acxa said harshly.

Teen-Ezor gave her a sheepish grin. "What, this? I think you dropped it, marm. Just returnin' it, no need to cry thief."

Teen-Ezor dropped the coins that she had snagged, then vanished from sight. Younger-Acxa flinched, and teen-Ezor's clothes -which had remained in view- jerked and moved rapidly away.

Everything started to fade to black again. Matt started forward, then fell back when a bright light flashed. He landed on his rear and blinked dizzily, suddenly finding himself back in the hanger with Ezor and Zethrid.

"What was that?!" Matt demanded, pressing his hands against the floor to ground himself.

"That was how Acxa and I first met," Ezor said cheerfully.

"What?" Matt was getting really dizzy now.

Ezor knelt beside Matt and put her hands on his shoulders. "Breathe."

Realizing that he was holding his breath, Matt exhaled and gasped sharply. He instantly started to feel more focused.

"I saw something from the past?" Matt asked. "That's impossible."

"Not in the quantum abyss," Ezor said.

"Ezor, Zethrid, are you okay?" Acxa asked over the comms.

"Everything is fine," Ezor responded. "At least we had a calm one to start it off!"

"There's more?" Matt asked. He leaned forward and added, "I'm fine, too, by the way."

"It gets easier when the shock wears off," Ezor said.

"But… how?"

"I'm not sure. All I know is: there's a wave of light, then we see visions," Ezor said.

"I've heard theories that time works differently around dark stars, but there has never been evidence to prove anything," Matt mused.

"It is not just the dark stars," Acxa spoke up. "Dense neutron stars orbit the larger dark stars. Because of the size of the stars, gravity and space-time is oddly affected. Time collapses at times, and that is when we get glimpses of the past or future."

"Did you just explain something to me?" Matt face-palmed upon realizing that, yet again, he'd said his thoughts aloud. "I didn't quite mean it like that."

"It does not matter. It is not as though you will remember," Acxa said flatly.

"Acxa!" Ezor protested.

"No, no, this isn't the first time I've had to defend my intelligence," Matt said, waving it off. Acxa remained disappointingly silent, so Matt moved back to the dark stars. "Anyway, you can see the future in here?"

"As long as it's something one of us will see, yes," Ezor said.

"Very rarely and very vague," Zethrid grumbled.

"Like what?" Matt asked.

"Get back to the bridge," Acxa cut into the conversation.

"Okay, okay, we're coming," Ezor said. The trio started making their way back to the bridge. "Haven't seen that vision in a while, have we? You really didn't like me that quintant, Acxa."

"You stole my coins," Acxa returned.

"And you caught me. I wasn't too fond of you then, either," Ezor said.

"So I figured, considering you targeted me for the next two quintants."

"You were the first person to ever catch her," Zethrid added. "Of course she was going to keep trying until she lifted something off you."

"It might have gotten ugly if Lotor had not…" Acxa trailed off, then said flatly, "Are you on your way to the bridge?"

Pouting slightly, Ezor responded, "Yes, Acxa."

* * *

Matt came to a quick halt when they returned to the bridge. His mouth fell open at the sight out the main port.

The debris had cleared out enough to allow Matt to see the center of the quantum abyss: a giant, black spot surrounded by light and collapsing planets slowly getting sucked inward.

"That's where we're headed?" Matt asked, sitting heavily beside Narti again.

"Yes." Acxa turned from studying the map on her holo-screen. "It will take three quintants to reach the center, if you have the correct route."

"That's the right one," Matt said. "Wait, three days? I thought the whole point of coming to this death trap was because Lotor needed to get back to the empire right away."

"Must you question everything I say?" Acxa asked irritably.

"Excuse me for wanting to know-"

"Lotor knows the tricks of the quantum abyss," Ezor interrupted. "We could go through, stay a movement, then come out and to everyone outside the abyss, only a varga has passed."

Matt hummed. "You know, this is a pretty good place to hide."

"Glad you approve," Acxa said drily, turning back to her holo-screen.

* * *

After five vargas of nothing better to do besides make sure the ship didn't drift into a gravity well, Matt and the generals decided to repair the ship's cloaking. Acxa set the ship on auto-pilot, and the five went to the control room.

"If the cloak had been working, the sentinels would have left us alone," Ezor explained as she watched Matt crawl under the console in front of a large Crystal. "They have some sort of sensor that works like a ship's scanners. But the cloak convinces them that we're just space debris."

Matt hummed to show he was listening, though he was half-distracted. Acxa, the only one who seemed mechanically inclined, was under the console as well. At least she was too busy puzzling through the wiring to threaten Matt in any way.

"It is just the calibration," Acxa mused. "It does not cover the thrusters."

"And the force of the thrusters distorts the field," Matt said in realization.

"Correct."

Matt waited for the insult, but it didn't come. Acxa really was too distracted to care about her company!

"How did that happen?" Matt dared to ask.

"Last encounter with Voltron," Acxa said, still civil. "The Yellow Lion rammed the ship."

"We couldn't fly straight for a quintant," Ezor added.

"We should have fixed this right away," Acxa said. She glanced at Matt. "But somebody needed rescuing."

"And there it is." Matt grinned as he rummaged through the tool bag.

Acxa frowned at him. "What?"

"Oh, you… wait, back up. How did you know I needed to be rescued? I sent my transmission on a secure connection."

"You think it was a coincidence that we were in the same area?" Acxa asked, grabbing the wire-cutters for which Matt had been searching.

Matt pushed himself up on his elbows as far as he could and looked down at Acxa. "It wasn't?"

"Not quite," Ezor said. Matt looked at her, and she grinned sheepishly. "Remember how we said that the abyss sometimes shows the future?"

"You saw that I'd need rescued?" Matt shook his head. "Dozens, if not hundreds, of aliens who could use help every quintant. Why did you see me?"

"Chance of the quantum abyss," Acxa said, apparently unconcerned by this reveal. "Lotor recognized the area the last time we passed through the abyss, and we have been monitoring it since."

"Why?" Matt asked, baffled. "You said before that I'm just a rebel, and rebels are easy to find."

Acxa finally made eye contact as she said, "If you knew someone would need your help, would you ignore them?"

"Okay, you got me there." Matt paused. "For curiosity's sake, what would have happened if you hadn't been there to rescue me?"

"We'd still have rescued you," Ezor said.

"No, no, I mean, what if you avoided the area with the outpost? If you were never in the area, you couldn't have saved me."

"We still would have eventually," Acxa said, sounding frustrated. "What we see in visions of the future will happen, one way or another. Some details might change, but they will happen. If we had not been at the outpost, we would have come across you and been forced to rescue you."

"'Forced.' Nice." Matt sighed. "But, what if you hadn't boarded the ship, but destroyed it with me still in it?"

Acxa growled and didn't answer.

"I'm a scientist, I need to know these things," Matt insisted.

"All we know about seeing the future is that it's best to go along with it," Ezor chimed in. "Lotor's had more experience than the rest of us, and he told us that trying to avoid the future usually has worse results than the original vision."

"If I can pull you away from your incessant questions, you need to remove that panel," Acxa said pointedly. Her wrist-comp beeped, making her groan. "Here comes another magilla."

"How often do you get these?" Matt asked, setting down his screwdriver as the ship began to shake.

"Four or five times a quintant," Ezor said. "Close your eyes!"

Matt closed his eyes and waited for the light to appear, then fade. He sat up and cautiously opened his eyes. He choked on nothing at the sight in front of him.

It was Acxa. But about two years old. Wide-eyed and mumbling nervously in little kid speech. And hiding behind the knees of an adult alien wearing same armor as the generals.

Matt didn't think he was ready for this. His brain went blank at the sight of the normally angry and stiff general so tiny and scared.

The adult alien -a bald, blue-skinned humanoid with short horns and Acxa's eyes- spoke encouragingly to her. "Come on out, Acxa. Mind your manners."

As tiny Acxa crept away from the safety of the adult's legs, another figure came appeared in front of her.

Lotor, the same Lotor that Matt knew, crouched and held out a hand. "Hello. Acxa, is it?"

Tiny Acxa dropped her head and mumbled something that sounded like, "Yes, sir."

The vision faded with a dizzying swirl. Matt laid back and closed his eyes briefly, then opened them to the bottom of the console.

Matt was very careful to not look at Acxa, though he saw in his peripheral vision that her face was darkening in what might have been a blush. He was about to excuse himself from the room, when Ezor lost it.

"You. Were. So. Cute!" the insufferable general gushed.

Acxa's hand whipped out, flinging the wire cutters. They harmlessly hit the wall as Ezor bolted out the door. Zethrid laughed unashamedly, and Narti's shoulders shook in what seemed to be silent laughter.

"I think that is enough repairs for now," Matt said nervously, sliding out from under the console.

Acxa grabbed his armor and dragged him back under. She hissed at him, "We are not leaving until this is complete."

"Okay, whatever you say," Matt said meekly, glaring at the laughing generals safely out of reach.

* * *

 **A/N: Tiny Acxa. XD**

 **Acxa didn't originally have much of a backstory to be revealed, but Gravtron1 and I were talking recently and she mentioned possible past generals. Then I realized that I hadn't even _considered_ using past generals. I got really excited and, well, this happened.**

 **Guest review responses!**

 **Reviewer: Thanks, and thanks again!**

 **Random Fan: Treasure Planet is my second or third (depends on the day) favorite movie and it ended up inspiring a lot of the quantum abyss. I love Matt knowing sign language. As far as I'm concerned, he's the new Gren. -twiddles thumbs in case you don't know the show- Anyway, Ezor's so proud of her new little pet (don't tell Matt, but he's totally a pet XD). Also, _don't die_! If you want serious, I'll give you serious in the next one!**

 **KatieGunderson: So. Many. Cookies! I get so ridiculously happy wit h digital cookies. 0w0 Many thanks and see you next chapter!**


	11. Fluff, Stuff, and Death

**A/N: So. Many. Cookies! -munches cookies- Oh! You know how I was kidding about having a tiny Matt a few chapters ago... well, I do actually have a tiny Matt now! My sister made one out of clay! So, until I get a cover drawn, mini-Matt will be featured.**

 **The next two chapters are the make or break chapters. They'll make you either love or hate this story, and if you make it through both, you will probably make it through the whole story. But, they say to write what you love, and I've been looking for a story like this since I got into this site.**

 **Some more references in this one. If you've seen Treasure Planet, see if you can figure it out before the end of the chapter. ;)**

* * *

Something poked Matt's foot. Matt kicked at it, wondering if a spring in his worn out bed had burst out again, but then the "spring" spoke.

"Matthew."

Right. Galra ship. Under a console with a death trap beside him just waiting for him to do something like fall asleep when he was supposed to be-

"Matthew!"

"I'm up!" Matt yelped, sitting up quickly.

 _Clunk!_

He fell back just as fast, remembering the part about being _under a console._

"Ow, what does the universe have against my head!" Matt cried, clutching his throbbing nose.

"Try going in fist first next time," Zethrid said. A large hand grabbed Matt's ankle and pulled him into the open. "Works better that way."

"I'll keeb thad id mid," Matt said nasally. He gently rubbed his nose and sat up. Besides Zethrid and himself, Ezor was the only one in the room. "Where's Acxa and Narti?"

"They left a varga ago. You two fixed the cloaking, but you fell asleep during the test run."

Matt blinked at Ezor. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Didn't know you were sleeping until you started talking nonsense," Ezor said.

"What did you think I was doing?"

"Feeling." At Matt's blank stare, Ezor went on, "You know, like Olkari do."

"Oh. No, humans can't do that." Matt yawned. "What time is it?"

"Two vargas into the night cycle," Ezor said.

"No wonder I'm tired. Will anyone mind if I go to bed?"

"We were headed there ourselves," Ezor said with a grin. She held out a hand and Matt let himself be pulled to his feet. "We just have to grab your gear from the hold first."

"No need. It's already in the dorm you left me in," Matt said.

"Did you get it already?"

Matt stretched. "No, it was that other Ga-" Matt's eyes widened and he hurriedly said, "A-actually, I don't know."

Ezor cocked her head. "Was it Bravvis?"

"I have no idea who you are talking about," Matt lied obviously.

Ezor crossed her arms. "What did Acxa threaten to do to you if you talked about him?"

"She didn't have to. I have a very active imagination," Matt said plainly. "And I think she's looking for an excuse to eject me into space, so could we just pretend I never started to mention what could be implied to mean that someone who definitely isn't on this ship, might actually be?" Matt took a deep breath, having blurted the whole spiel in one breath. "Now, what were we talking about?"

"You're funny when you're tired, Matthew," Ezor said, pointing toward the door. "We were just headed to bed."

"Of course, silly me," Matt said. "Zethrid, what about you?"

"I think the quantum abyss has messed with both your heads," Zethrid said.

Matt and Ezor snickered as the three went their separate ways.

* * *

" _Let me see!"_

" _Hold on there, Pidge," Matt said, gently holding his little sister back. "I have to adjust the lens first."_

" _Don't call me that!"_

" _Okay,_ Katie. _Just wait a minute."_

 _Eight-year-old Katie sighed impatiently and turned her eyes to the night sky. Matt made the final adjustments, then stepped back._

" _Alright, hop up here."_

 _Katie eagerly climbed onto the stool so that she was nearly Matt's height. She peered through the telescope, exclaiming in amazement._

" _Matt, Matt, I think I see him!"_

 _Matt smiled and didn't argue. While their telescope was powerful enough to see the dome of the moon colony, it wasn't quite enough to see individuals inside the dome. But, since Katie insisted, Matt wasn't going to burst her bubble._

" _What's Dad doing now?" Matt asked instead._

" _He's outside the dome, gathering samples. Oh, and he's waving to us!"_

 _Matt raised an eyebrow as Katie waved at the sky._

" _Come on, Matt, wave back!" Katie said, having lifted her eye from the telescope to see Matt standing still. "Dad's waving!"_

 _Amused at his sister's insistence, Matt raised a hand to wave at the moon. It didn't matter whether or not their dad was actually waving. Even though he couldn't see them, their dad would convince Katie that had known that they were waving._

 _Maybe he did._

 _Matt waved harder, hoping that his dad really know in some way that they were thinking of him._

* * *

Matt woke to wet eyes, a numb arm, and a massive muzzle in his face.

"Gah!"

Matt flung out his numb arm, smacking the muzzle and causing it to back up. Matt sat up and shoved himself backward, good hand coming up defensively in a fist. He got a good look at the creature as it sat back.

Shape-wise, it would be closest to a wolf. Except the size of a Clydesdale. It had gleaming, short black fur, and a glowing blue mane of longer fur around its neck and extending down its back to a completely glowing tail. It regarded Matt with dark, intelligent eyes.

"Get out of here!" Matt said loudly. He eyed the intercom across the room, wondering if there was a way to verbally activate it. "Go on, get!"

The wolf twitched and lowered its head. It started whimpering.

Matt gaped at the huge animal. "What do you want?"

The wolf whimpered again.

Against his better judgement -he was doing that an awful lot these days- Matt slid out of bed and approached the wolf. Even sitting, its head towered over Matt, but it lowered its head as Matt got closer. Then, once Matt was close, it did something unexpected.

The wolf opened its toothy mouth and gave Matt a sloppy lick across the face.

"Gross!" Matt spat upon realizing there was wolf saliva on his lips. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at the wolf. "What was that for?"

The wolf whined again and stood. Matt started to back away, then the wolf reached out a paw and caught him around the middle to roughly pull him forward. His leg gave out, causing him to stumble and fall against its chest. Matt stiffened, but the wolf gave a content rumble. It flopped to the floor, tugging Matt along with it, and curled its body around him.

Matt hardly dared to breathe. His legs were stuck under the wolf's legs, so he couldn't get away even if he wanted.

Eventually, Matt noticed that the wolf had fallen asleep! He laid carefully back against its side, and it didn't wake up. Matt sighed and stared tiredly at the ceiling.

"I'll figure this out in the morning."

Turning as far as he could onto his side, Matt nuzzled into the soft fur and fell asleep.

* * *

A brief vision with teen-Ezor somersaulting over Zethrid -who was also a teen- woke Matt up. He blinked sleepily as his hands kneaded the soft surface under him. Weird, his old mattress wasn't-

Some day, Matt hoped he would start remembering where he was when he woke up in less than ten seconds.

Matt sat up quickly, making the wolf whine. Which made Matt feel like a horrible person.

"Just give me a second, okay?" Matt said, twisting to look the wolf in the face. "I'm still getting used to this place."

The wolf responded by licking his face and standing. Matt sputtered and wiped his face, noticing at the same time that he could feel his hand again. It was also covered in wolf drool.

"Thanks… I think." Matt wiped his hand on his shirt. "Are you another secret? Is Acxa going to kill me if I mention you in front of her?"

The wolf growled softly and plodded back to Matt. She -Matt knew it was a female now- sniffed him over and huffed. Matt stared up at her, then glanced at the door.

"Hold on. How did you get in the door?" Matt shook his head. "Why do I even bother asking anymore? Ever since the Galra captured me, it's been one surprise after another."

The wolf blinked at him, then a bright blue light flashed around it. Matt automatically closed his eyes against the light and when he opened them, the wolf was gone!

"I rest my case," Matt told the empty room.

* * *

Matt put his armor on and found his way back to the bridge. All four of the generals were there. Ezor was contentedly petting the wolf, Acxa and Zethrid worked at holo-screens, and Narti was sitting on the stairs.

"Morning. I think," Matt said by way of greeting.

"Still morning," Ezor said. She cocked her head at him. "But you slept for a long time. We've been up for two vargas."

"It's been an interesting couple of days," Matt dead-panned.

Matt sat beside Narti. She inclined her head toward Matt in acknowledgement, then held out a packet of food goo. Matt ate the food in silence, watching Acxa and Zethrid work.

"Anything happen?" Matt asked after a bit.

"Nova came!" Ezor said, scratching the wolf's ears.

"She has a name?"

"Lotor met her a long time ago. What else would he call her? Just 'star pelusa?'"

Matt stared. "That's a good name."

"It's _what_ she is," Ezor protested.

"Oh."

Nova stalked across the bridge to stand beside Acxa. Matt smiled when the general dropped a hand to pet Nova.

"Has she been here the whole time?" Matt asked, wondering how many secrets Lotor's ship held.

"No, she lives in the quantum abyss," Ezor said. "Sometimes she comes to visit when we pass through."

"Does she normally… vanish in a flash of light?"

"Star pelusas can teleport. It's how she gets around."

Matt nodded. Nova left Acxa and paced around the bridge, sniffing under the console and under chairs. She whined and pawed the ground.

"What's she doing?"

"Looking for her pup," Ezor said, tone saddening. "She lost Blinky before I met her."

Matt blinked. "I have so many questions."

"The name?" Ezor's expression quickly switched to a knowing grin. "That was Acxa."

Matt looked at Acxa's back. He raised an eyebrow and jutted a thumb at her in a silent question.

"He blinked in and out of sight. It made sense," Acxa muttered.

"How old were you?" Matt tried to not laugh.

"It was a long time ago," Acxa muttered. Her shoulders hunched.

Matt coughed and decided he'd better change topics. "How did… Blinky get lost?"

"There are tons of time streams in the quantum abyss," Ezor said. "Star pelusas know how to navigate them, but they need their parents to show them how. Blinky must have fallen into another time stream, and Nova's been looking for him since."

"Do you think she'll find him?" Matt asked, watching Nova drop into a dejected heap at Ezor's feet.

"I hope so, but he could be anywhere or anytime. She could search for a hundred more deca-pheobs and when she finds him, he could still be a pup. Searching for anything lost in the quantum abyss is like…" Ezor trailed off.

"Trying to find a needle in a haystack the size of Texas," Matt supplied.

"I don't know how big a Texas is, but yes," Ezor said.

The ship rumbled. Ahead, the light around the dark star pulsed.

"Here comes another one," Acxa warned.

"Didn't we just have one?" Matt grumbled.

The dark star flashed with blinding light, the black turning white as a literal wave of light spread from the dark star. Everything glowed gold as the wave passed over it.

"It's only been short ones. Maybe this one will be a big one," Ezor said with a grin.

Matt groaned and closed his eyes when the magilla reached the ship's nose.

Matt knew something was different as soon as he opened his eyes. Black nothingness was black nothingness, but there was something… off. He jumped as a voice echoed through the darkness.

"This, is the Castle of Lions." A male voice, accented like Lotor's, said. The voice echoed eerily over and over.

"What, where?" Matt turned in a circle, but couldn't find the source of the voice or what it could mean. A second later, more voices started to join in.

"You're coming back, right?" This was a younger male voice with the same accent.

"Narti, you fool!" Lotor's voice cried.

"I'm gonna be sick." Zethrid's grumble.

"No one is coming to get you, bud." Matt blinked as he heard his own voice join into the echoes. "Voltron has abandoned the Blade of Marmora."

It was getting hard to distinguish the voices, but there was a sound that followed that sounded a lot like a cat sneezing.

"Allura, stop, you're hurting me!" Matt heard his voice scream, bringing the echoes to a deafening volume.

"You did what?" Lotor's voice, cool and dangerous, cut through the noise.

"Don't be mad. I had to." The young male from before, sounding breathless and weak.

"Keith and I have a plan." A calm, calculating female voice.

"Tail is at half capacity and we are down a leg. We cannot do this for long." Acxa's strained voice.

"Is anyone there?!" Matt's voice yelled. "I've lost visual on Sincline and Voltron!"

The voices echoed endlessly back, rising in volume with each addition until Matt couldn't make out any individual voices. He clapped a hand to his ears, but it did nothing to mute the cacophony.

"Stop it!" Matt yelled, clenching his eyes shut.

Silence.

Matt was panting, but he couldn't hear even that. The sound of his heart pounding became audible, but… it wasn't right. It was too distinct, like the pre-action background sound in movies. His eyes shot open.

He found himself staring across a smoky and rocky landscape through the visor of his helmet. Confused as to when he had put on the helmet, Matt tried to raise his hands to check. Nothing moved.

"I'm sorry!" a voice yelled, ending the roar in his ears and bringing Matt's attention to what else was in the vision.

The blue paladin stood in front of him, hands raised in a calming gesture and gun on the ground. He was either shaking his head or looking around him.

Matt's body moved on its own, head tipping down as his legs ran him toward a second figure crumpled on the ground. His body crouched and his arms wrapped around the figure before Matt comprehended what he was seeing.

It was one of the generals, a dark-visored helmet hiding her face. Matt couldn't see anything wrong, but she was silent and her body lolled limply as Matt held her to his chest.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this!" the blue paladin went on.

Matt heard his own voice yell back, "You've killed her!"

"I didn't-"

Matt's voice cut him off as his arm slashed out in a cutting motion. "That's it, I'm sick of this!"

The vision twisted and blurred, then Matt found himself sitting without the general. The stone was gone, replaced by an engine room. He sat beside a console, and the green paladin was kneeling beside him with a wrench in her hands.

Again, Matt's attempts to move away from the paladin -she was holding a wrench!- were futile. His head turned on its own when he heard clattering footsteps.

The black paladin rushed into the room, clutching a limp blue paladin in his arms.

"He's not breathing!" the black paladin cried.

The vision froze, and Matt fell onto his back as he suddenly regained control of his body. He scrambled to stand, then his vision twisted. Disoriented, he fell on his hands and knees, then he was blinking his eyes open to the bridge. Matt rubbed his eyes and looked around.

The generals were all sitting on the ground, seeming as dazed as Matt. Even Acxa was blinking rapidly.

After a long moment, Zethrid blew out a hard sigh. "And here I thought you stayed away from the paladins." Her voice lacked its usual gruffness, almost subdued.

"I am! That never happened!" Matt protested, shoving himself to stand unsteadily.

"Not yet. That was the future," Acxa said. She stood, not a trace of shaking in her voice or body. "You are going to witness the blue paladin's death, as well, it would appear."

Matt jerked off his helmet and took a deep breath. "No, I'm not! Besides, the paladins can't die; they're spirits!"

"They're as alive as you and me," Zethrid supplied in a distracted tone.

"Oh, uh…" Matt shook himself, still off from the vision. "Well, just because someone isn't breathing, doesn't make them dead… yet. But what about the first part?"

"The voices?" Acxa asked.

"No," Matt made a mental note to write down all that the voices had said. "When I said… said someone was dead. Th-that wasn't one of you four… was it?"

Ezor, who had yet to move, finally turned her head toward Zethrid. The two stared, then looked at Narti for a long moment. Matt felt a chill run through him as the three generals looked at Acxa.

Turning toward the front of the ship, Acxa said, "It was me."

* * *

 **A/N: Dun-dun-DUN! This chapter would have been out sooner, but I needed to figure out what quotes I was going to use for the vision. I was trying to keep from having large gaps between the events of the quotes, but there are a few sections of this story that I haven't fully worked out. Also, any feedback in what is/was going through your head during the future vision will be incredibly helpful for when I write Matt and the generals puzzling through it later.**

 **TFG will be referencing most of my other stories at some point. I won't normally mention them, but I'll make an exception this time. While you're waiting for the next chapter, I'd suggest going and reading my other story _Koala Keith_ , or you will be very confused in the next chapter.**

 **So, in Treasure Planet, the star named Pelusa went supernova.**

 **This would actually be a good time to mention. If this story can get a hundred likes or favorites... it _will_ be a trilogy! If this happens, then the trilogy will go all the way to the end of the show. It would involve (among other things) the three missing years, the missing clone Shiros, the Olkari, and seasons seven and eight would get a major redo.**

 **Guest review responses! (Wow, this list is getting long! 0w0):**

 **Random Fan's Sis: Well, here's some Holt sibling flashbacks! (And a brief flash-forward.) It's so hard to choose what scenes to use! Thanks for the cookies!**

 **Random Fan: I loved _writing_ it! Well, I did get some Matt in the visions! I'm still working out what scenes I'll have when, but hope this will suffice for now! Good, I wouldn't want to kill off my readers! XD**

 **Guest: I'm working on it. Since the visions can only be something that Matt and the generals have witnessed (in this story, at least. If I did anything for anyone, then chances are that the visions would be a ton of strangers. XD) any visions of Pidge would have to be future. Matt will be learning about the paladins in a word-of-mouth method at a later time.**

 **KatieGunderson: She was also tons of fun to write! (We're actually going to have a lot of little Acxa in later visions.) I have handed out the cookies, but I think mini-Matt took tiny Acxa's.**

 **Reviewer: Glad you've had a chance to check this story out! I hope you're liking it so far, and like the little generals!**

 **Pidge02: Thanks! And, well, I like drama, so future visions will be really dramatic. XD Unbelievable, how few people know about Treasure Planet! And thanks for the cookies!**


	12. The Side No One Sees

**A/N: This chapter surprised even me, so hold onto your seats. I intended for it to be a tad more mild, then the ending ran away from me. There was also no build-up for the final scene, but there is a reason that this chapter has the title that it does.**

 **As I said before, this is a make or break chapter. Get ready for extreme OOC, some new OC's, the Mom-friend coming out, a new sort of delusional rambling, and me re-writing canon. (Although, technically, it was never said in canon that it _wasn't_ true. XD)**

 **Warnings for injury and a character ready to give up on life.**

* * *

As a general rule, rebels never asked others about their pasts. If they had secrets, it was to protect someone or something or it was too painful to talk about. If they wanted to share, they would. But rebels never pried into others' pasts.

Matt figured this rule didn't apply to futures.

"Voltron kills you?!"

"We are in the midst of a war, on opposing sides. Why are you so surprised?" Acxa asked.

Matt threw his hands in the air. "Why are you so calm?"

"There is no sense in being upset over what we see in the visions," Acxa said.

Matt crossed his arms. "I don't know, I'd be at least a little bit upset about seeing my death. I think anyone would."

"We see a lot of unpleasant things in here." Ezor's voice was flat. "But since we can't change the future, there isn't any sense in dwelling on it."

"We have a saying on Earth," Matt said. "The future isn't written in stone."

"And what are we supposed to do? The visions give no times or places. You do not know you are living it out, until it has already happened," Acxa said.

Matt shook his head. "I still think we can fix it!"

"Enough!" Zethrid roared. "There is no fixing the future, so stop acting like you can!"

An awkward silence fell over the bridge. Luckily, Ezor quickly broke it.

"Zethrid's just mad, because there's a lot of little kits in her future."

"Ezor!"

Ezor ducked under Zethrid's reaching hands and grabbed onto Nova. Both vanished in a flash of light, leaving Zethrid fuming at empty air.

"Ezor is probably helping Nova search the ship. She normally does," Acxa said. "Go help them, Matthew."

Matt opened his mouth to protest. Acxa glared. Matt closed his mouth and left.

* * *

"How are you all so calm?"

Matt had spent the morning getting an unofficial tour of Lotor's ship while he, Ezor, and Nova searched for a missing pup. Now, on a break in the mess hall of the ship, Matt dared to pose his question.

"About Blinky?" Ezor asked, though Matt suspected that he knew perfectly well what he meant. Her ceaseless chatter had restarted during the search.

"About the visions," Matt said anyway.

"It's like Acxa said. We see a lot of things in the visions. We can't do anything to change it, so…" Ezor shrugged and rubbed Nova's ears.

"Have you tried?"

"Lotor has. Many times," Ezor returned. "He's had over six thousand deca-pheobs to practice."

"That doesn't… what?"

Every time Matt tried to answer one question, he ended up with a dozen more.

"He found out about the quantum abyss deca-pheobs before his exile, but it wasn't until after his exile that he tried going in. Sometimes I wonder how he survived going in alone, but he never talks about that time and…" Ezor finally noticed Matt's ever widening eyes. "What?"

"Six. Thousand. Deca-pheobs. Exile? Alone?" Matt's head was spinning. "You mean to tell me that the rumors are true?"

Ezor smirked. "Depends on the rumor. We started some of them ourselves, so don't believe everything you hear."

"Everyone knows that Zarkon has ruled for ten thousand deca-pheobs, but most assume that 'Zarkon' is a title or a name passed down the generations of the ruling Galra," Matt said. "How old is Zarkon?"

Ezor hummed. "Ten thousand, five hundred deca-pheobs, give or take a couple hundred. Histories are a bit vague on exactly when Zarkon was born."

That made sense. If it wasn't for stories from some of the races with massive life spans, many would have thought that the war had been going on forever. "And Lotor?"

"Nearly ten thousand deca-pheobs."

Mat blinked. General knowledge placed Galra at one of the moderately-lengthed races, with a thousand deca-pheobs being a good, long life. Nine hundred deca-pheobs, typically, but only on the peaceful places. Few lived full lives in the midst of war. But still…

Few races lived beyond couple thousand years. But some like the Mu, a large, armadillo-like race, typically lived up to a hundred thousand years. If Lotor had even a fraction of that in him, it would explain his long life.

"What else is in Lotor's bloodline? Mu?"

"Nope. He's only Galra and Altean. I think I might have some Mu in me, though," Ezor mused. "I'm over six hundred deca-pheobs old myself. Lotor thinks I have a couple more thousand deca-pheobs to go."

Matt blinked. Looked Ezor up and down. "I dunno. You're not scaly enough to be Mu. But how long do Alteans live?" He'd never heard of Alteans, though the name did sound familiar...

"Seven hundred deca-pheobs? What about you, Matthew? How old are you?"

"Twenty-one," Matt said, already expecting Ezor's next question.

"Hundred?"

"No. Just twenty-one," Matt elaborated.

"You're still a kit, then!"

"In Galra terms, yes. But, relatively, I think I'm actually older than you. What about the others?"

Ezor hummed. "Matthew, this is boring."

"This is research."

"You sound like Nolan." Ezor went on before Matt could ask who Nolan was, "Acxa a thousand, fifty-six deca-pheobs, Zethrid's three hundred and ninty, and we don't know about Narti. Less than a hundred deca-pheobs, probably."

Matt had to ask. "If you're all half Galra, how are your ages are so different, but you still look around the same age?"

"Actually, Zethrid's half Galra. I've got a smidge of Galra, and only Lotor and Acxa know about Acxa's family. I wouldn't suggest asking about her."

"Didn't plan on it. I kind of want to live. What about Narti? Or should I not ask about her, either?"

Ezor shrugged. "You can ask all the questions you want about Narti. All we know is that she has Galra blood."

"Huh." Matt wanted to ask more -he was sure that Ezor would be willing to go on- but he wasn't ready to tell anything else about himself. "What's the next place we have to look?"

"We've checked the whole ship," Ezor said, readily changing topics with Matt. "Let's just get back to the bridge. Grab some food goo. Knowing Acxa, she forgot to eat."

Nova flashed out of sight while Matt and Ezor collected a few extra food goo packets, reappearing a minute later when Matt and Ezor were halfway to the bridge.

"Hey, Nova," Ezor said, squeezing past the star pelusa. She was halted when Nova grabbed her armor. "Nova?"

"Here comes another magilla," Acxa warned over Ezor's comm.

"Please don't be like the last one," Matt pleaded to no one.

"What, can't handle the excitement?" Ezor asked.

Matt didn't get a chance to retort as light filled the hall. He closed his eyes, then opened them to a new, darker hall of a Galra ship. Matt had to remind himself that it was just a memory before he could focus on who was also in the hall.

Bravvis, the silent Galra from the dorm, was marching quickly down the hall. His eyes were narrow and intense. He wore Galra commander armor and a long sword was sheathed at his side.

"Commander Throk."

Matt jumped and Bravvis -Throk? They must be different Galra- halted. Both turned as Lotor stepped out of an adjoining hall. He walked to Throk, who dipped his head. Lotor's gaze was aloof.

"Prince Lotor," Throk said respectfully.

"How are the preparations going, Commander?" Lotor asked.

"I have my whole crew in the hanger, sir," Throk said.

"My generals are seeing to the reloading of my ship as well. The druids are quite keen on watching them, oddly."

On some unspoken cue, Lotor and Throk visibly relaxed their stances. The two Galra turned and began walking down the hall, matching stride and side-by-side. Matt ran to follow, curious.

"That was a very grand speech that you made, sir," Throk commented.

"What did the other commanders think of our performance?" Lotor asked.

"Mercy is an… odd way for the Galra, but they respect your show of force and commanders have seen that loyalty within the ranks is more powerful than fear. The officers who swore allegiance to me will be quick to join you."

"There is still the matter of the Kral Zera," Lotor said. "The commanders will be calling for it if my father remains hidden for much longer."

"Few would want to challenge you, Prince Lotor," Throk said.

Lotor wore a small smile as he said, "The halls are clear for but a few ticks. There is no need for titles."

"It's habit by now. It wouldn't do for me to slip up amongst others," Throk said.

Lotor abruptly stopped, causing Throk to do the same. "Are you certain you wish to do this?"

"We can't trust anyone else with this operation. Besides, who will care that the security of an outpost on the far edges of the empire was breached? My superior, perhaps, but they can't send me anyplace worse."

Lotor made a clicking sound in his throat, similar to a scoff. "Voltron has been persistent in following me. If they decide to intervene at the outpost, that will draw the witch's attention."

"Which is why we are taking precautions." Throk gave Lotor a sad sort of smile. "I would say that I will miss you, but, well…"

Throk held out a hand. Lotor grabbed his arm above the elbow, and Throk did the same.

"I, however, will remember and miss you," Lotor said. After a tick, he added, "Old friend."

The scene faded, and Matt was left in the dark. Literally and figuratively.

"Was that supposed to be meaningful?" Matt asked. "I have no idea what-"

"Ella!" Acxa's voice shouted from behind.

Matt spun around to a whole new scene. Two young woman wearing flowing cream-colored tunic and pants were standing in a clean, wooden room with a big counter in the center. Their appearances were very much human, excepting that they had elf-like pointed ears and glowing, triangular markings on their cheeks.

The young women turned as Acxa -the same Acxa that Matt knew- threw open the door and rushed inside.

"Ella, we have an emergency," Acxa said, addressing the young woman with light-colored skin, long brown hair, and blue markings.

"What happened?" asked the other woman, who had short, stark white hair contrasting her brown skin and green markings that matched her eyes.

"Crista," Acxa said, glancing at her. "Good, we need you, too."

"What is it?" Crista asked, while Ella went to the door.

Acxa glanced behind her. "Something went horribly wrong."

Before Acxa could explain further, Ella backed away from the door. Lotor, pale-faced and with glowing pink markings of his own, stumbled in backward. His hands were in front of him, pressed against a limp, armored figure that Zethrid was carrying in her arms.

"Put him here," Ella said quickly, pointing to the counter.

Zethred made her awkward way across the room and set the figure on the counter. She stepped back, and Matt could see that it was Throk. Ezor and Narti hurried in behind.

"He's bad," Ezor blurted, using a bloody cloth to wipe Throk's mouth.

"Bad" was… an understatement. Throk's face was gaunt and cut, and blood ran down from his mouth. His armor was broken and charred, and stained with more blood. His bare feet and hands were burned and oozing.

"We stopped at the lab, but no one was around," Acxa explained, hovering behind Lotor.

"There's no time to get him back to the lab," Crista said. "Ella?"

Ella pulled out a scanner from behind the counter and ran it over Throk. She winced and said, "There is a lot of internal damage. Get in here, Candace!"

At least, Matt thought that she called out the name "Candace." Because the figure who came through a different doorway was a male.

The young man had brown hair and white face markings, and wore a blue vest over a brown shirt and pants. His quick blue eyes took in the scene in an instant.

The young man crossed the room and put a hand on Throk's arm, then bowed his head while his markings began to glow.

Crista pointed to Ezor and Narti. "Find the Acolytes and send them here." While they ran out, she turned to Lotor. "We have him, sir."

Lotor's eyes flickered, then he collapsed backward. Acxa and Crista caught him and hauled him across the room to sit against the wall.

Ella went into the room from which the young man had come, and came out with bandages and jars. She handed a jar lightly glowing blue to Crista, then turned toward the door as another person hurried in.

The new person was a man, older than the other. His skin was dark, and his longish black hair was pulled back in a ponytail. His markings were a dull gray.

"Tavo, thank the Spirits," Crista said.

Tavo quickly threw off the sky blue cloak he wore, revealing a blue tunic and gray pants beneath it. He didn't ask for an explanation, only went to young man's side and put a hand on his wrist.

Matt's attention was drawn from the pair by a low whisper. He turned to where Lotor slumped against the wall.

Acxa was holding Lotor in a seated position, while Crista put the jar into a small cage of thick wire. She strapped the holder to Lotor's arm. While she worked, Lotor's gaze remained over her shoulder.

"Save him," Lotor murmured.

Matt turned back to the counter, only to realize that the scene had changed again.

Lotor, standing steady and no longer pale, was talking with Crista. Aside from the two of them, the room was empty.

"How has be been?" Lotor asked.

"Physically, Throk is fully recovered. Mentally…" Crista shook her head. "I've done all that I can, but he won't be the same Galra that you know."

"Where is he?" Lotor asked.

"Bandor, Jinnar, and Vinis took him to the corrals." Lotor turned to leave, but Crist grabbed his arm. "He can't talk, as we feared, but as far as we can tell, Throk has no memory of who he, or anyone or anything else is."

"You mean, everything is gone?" Lotor asked, sounding startled.

"From what Acxa told me, Throk's mind had already been tampered with recently." Crista gave Lotor a meaningful look and released his arm. "Whatever happened next, it completely broke his mind."

Lotor said something under his breath. Louder, he asked, "Can you fix it?"

"Nothing can fix a broken mind," Crista said, shaking her head. "All we can do is care for him and hope that things will come together on their own."

"I see…" Lotor nodded. "Thank you, Crista. I know you did your best. At least Throk has survived. I will go see him."

"One more thing," Crista said. "While his memories are gone, we have discovered that a few words will send him into a panic. We can't mention the witch, druids, or his name around him."

"His own name causes him panic?" Lotor asked.

Crista nodded. "We have been calling him Bravvis."

Light flashed in the room, startling Matt so that he stumbled backward. He fell on his rear, blinking his eyes open to the halls of Lotor's ship. Ezor stood in front of him, eyes wide and jaw hanging open. Nova was curled around the pair.

"I am so confused about what I just saw," Matt informed Ezor.

Ezor didn't respond, instead speaking into her wrist comm, "Acxa-"

"I know, I saw it, too," Acxa interrupted. "Split up and find Bravvis."

It took Matt a moment to reconnect the dots from the vision. "How bad are his panic attacks?"

"I've never seen one myself," Ezor said, leading the way back down the hall. "But Bandor told me about them. Any noise could startle him, and he has the sense of a panicked klanmurl. We have to get him contained until he can calm down."

Matt pushed himself up, then his left leg crumpled. Nova quickly moved to catch Matt before he could hit the floor.

"Matthew?" Ezor asked, already halfway down the hall.

"I'm good! I-I think," Matt added, looking down at his leg. "That's weird, my leg's gone numb."

Ezor stuck her head into a spare dorm room as she asked, "Can you walk?"

Matt struggled to stand, but his left leg could barely hold his weight. He finally managed to follow Ezor by leaning on the willing Nova. Ezor glanced at him and nodded, then resumed searching.

Acxa's groan came over the comms a few minutes later. "Lotor has left his dorm."

"I thought he was sleeping!" Ezor said.

"The vision must have woken him up. We have to get him back to bed as well," Acxa said with a sigh.

Matt narrowly kept himself from saying that Acxa sounded like an exasperated mother. But she kind of did.

"Lotor might know where Bravvis is," Ezor said, opening the door to a spare dorm.

"Kova is with Lotor. Narti will know if Lotor finds Bravvis first," Acxa said.

"Will calling for Bravvis help?" Matt asked.

"It might, but it could also scare him. It's best to just search silently."

Matt and the generals searched without saying much. Matt and Ezor had finished the dorms and were halfway through the hangers when Acxa spoke up.

"Lotor found him. Zethrid and Ezor, meet me at the infirmary."

"Can I come?" Matt asked.

"No. Get back to your dorm and wait there," Acxa said.

Matt huffed wondering if he should have just stayed quiet and showed up in the first place. He turned toward his dorm, but Nova didn't move to help him.

"Nova, don't you-"

Matt didn't get to hear Ezor finish. A bright blue light flashed from Nova, forcing him to close his eyes. He felt a brief spinning sensation, and leaned against Nova. His eyes opened.

He was in a different hall, outside the infirmary if Matt remembered correctly. Acxa and Narti, who now had Kova on her shoulder, were staring at him.

"Ezor, what is Matthew doing here?" Acxa asked into her comm.

"I have nothing to do with that!" Ezor exclaimed. "Nova decided that he needed to be there, I guess."

Acxa turned her glare to Nova. "Nova, take Matthew to his room."

She _really_ sounded like a mom when she talked in that tone.

Nova barked and vanished. Without Matt.

Matt grabbed the wall to steady himsef. He looked at where Nova had been, then to Acxa. "I'll go."

Acxa nodded shortly. Matt stood and was about to leave, when Lotor's voice came from the intercom beside the infirmary door.

"Acxa, let him stay."

Acxa gave the intercom an incredulous look before composing herself. "You heard, sir?"

"I did." Lotor sounded tired, though it might have just been the speaker. "I need him to open the door."

"Sir?"

"I am a little… stuck at the tick. I cannot reach the pad," Lotor responded.

Ezor and Zethrid ran up then. Ezor exclaimed, "Lotor! How's Bravvis?"

"He had a bit of a fit, but he is calmed down now. He just needs to kola, so I cannot stand right now," Lotor said.

The generals looked at each other, glanced at Matt, then away. Matt chuckled.

"Is that why you didn't want me to come? I know about kolaing. I've met other Galra, you know."

"You know about kolaing," Acxa said skeptically.

"It's like you said," Matt said, mood dropping. "We are in the midst of war. Do you really think that Galra who betray the empire wouldn't need comfort?"

Acxa was silent for a moment. "Very well. Help us get the door open, and you may stay."

"Aye, ma'am," Matt muttered, crouching beside the door pad. "Why can't you get the door open?"

"It's a program in the ship's door system," Ezor explained. "When Bravvis is upset, then doors will automatically close behind him. Lotor's the only one who can open them when the program is activated."

"So that's why the door closed in my face when Bravvis ran from the dorm," Matt said. He pried off a wall panel. "It's a program to protect Bravvis?"

"It is," Acxa said.

Matt hummed and went to work. A short bit later, the door slid open. Matt waved a hand in a "tah-dah" gesture that was ignored, as he figured it would be. The generals hurried into the infirmary, with Matt trailing them. The generals stopped in the middle of the room, and Matt leaned against a table to the side so he could see past them.

Lotor and Bravvis were seated on the floor in the corner. Bravvis had his arms around Lotor's middle and his head tucked into Lotor's shoulder. Bravvis' legs were curled tightly under himself. Lotor, who Matt thought looked a lot smaller in a plain long-sleeved tunic and pants, had his shadowed eyes closed and his arms loosely slung over Bravvis' shoulders. The pink markings on his cheeks had reappeared.

Acxa stepped quietly forward until she was in front of the male Galra. She crouched and reached out to put a hand on Lotor's shoulder. Lotor shifted, then his eyes opened a crack.

"Acxa," Lotor murmured.

"Sir, you should be resting," Acxa said, gently scolding.

"Bravvis had a fit. Had to calm him down, you know."

"Not at the expense of your quintessence. Sir, you are still recovering. Your quintessence cannot take the strain. You will make yourself sick."

Lotor gave a weary sigh. "Ah, what of it? Bravvis needed it."

"Bravvis does not need you sick," Acxa said. "In your condition, if you get sick…"

"I could die?" Lotor raised an eyebrow. "Again, what of it?"

Ezor gave a little gasp, and Matt nearly did the same. Was Lotor… dying?

Matt could see Acxa's shoulders tense. "Do not talk like that."

"Acxa. I've lived ten thousand deca-pheobs," Lotor murmured.

"I know," Acxa said. "What of _that_?"

"Ten thousand deca-pheobs. Rejected. Despised. Because of my blood." Lotor lifted a hand and stared at it. "Alone."

Acxa grabbed his hand. "You are not alone."

"Not for now," Lotor said. "But I cannot take losing my generals again. Generations of generals, living and dying after too little time. Acxa, it is time for you four to move on. _I_ am ready to move on."

"But we are not," Acxa said.

"Every kit must move on eventually." Lotor's eyes slid closed. "It is your turn."

"And what if we do not want to?"

"Acxa, listen to me," Lotor whispered.

"No, you listen to me," Acxa interrupted. She lightly shook Lotor's hand. "Look at me, sir!"

Lotor's eyes opened to give Acxa a wearily irritated look. "Do not wake Bravvis."

"I will wake him up if it will help you see sense," Acxa said. Lotor blinked slowly at her. "What of the plan?"

"Ages in the making, but useless without Oriande," Lotor said. "Acxa. Four elements are tearing the universe apart."

"You are the only one who knows how to fix the tears," Acxa said.

"Merla and Tavo know. They will have to, you know that." Lotor's eyes closed again. "Balance must be maintained. Without… without me… perhaps the second element will… finally be gone."

"Sir, you are speaking nonsense now," Acxa said, shaking her head. "Come, Zethrid. We have to get him back to bed."

Zethrid, who had yet to move or show any emotion, went to Acxa's side. Acxa moved back, then it felt like something had changed. Matt wasn't quite sure how, but it was as if the universe was holding its breath.

Acxa jolted forward. "Sir!"

Zethrid backed away, dragging a wide-eyed Bravvis with her. The silent Galra latched onto Zethrid's side, but he was still looking at Lotor.

All color had gone from Lotor's face. His markings had taken on a sickly shade, and he was completely unmoving. Each breath had an uncertain hollowness to it.

"Sir, open your eyes! Lotor!" Acxa roughly shook Lotor's shoulder, but this got no response. "Lotor, _please!_ "

Kova yowled, making Matt jump. The cat leaped from Narti's shoulder to Lotor's. He rubbed against Lotor's face while Acxa continued to say his name. Neither got a response.

Matt shook off his initial shock and asked Ezor, "What should we do?"

Ezor jumped and looked at Matt with watery eyes. "I-I don't know. He's too low on quintessence, but we've used all our spare quintins!"

"You can store quintessence?" Matt shook his head. "Another time. Does the colony have a pod?"

"Yes, but we're still a quintant away," Ezor said.

"Is there a faster route?"

"Only Lotor knows the other routes!"

"Hush!" Acxa hissed. "Look."

Matt and Ezor looked at Acxa, who was pointing to Kova. The cat had moved onto Lotor's lap and had his head shoved between Lotor's arm and body.

At first, Matt didn't think anything had changed. Then he realized the Lotor was breathing deeper. His face wasn't quite as pale anymore. His markings had faded, though Matt still wasn't sure what that meant.

"Kova, whatever you're doing, don't stop," Ezor whispered.

Kova lifted turned his head and meowed grumpily. Narti stepped forward and sat on Lotor's free side. She waved a hand at the others to join her.

Ezor didn't need any more prompting. She sprang forward and squished herself between Lotor and Narti, leaving just enough room for Narti's arm to curl behind her. She looked expectantly at Zethrid, who grunted and sat beside Lotor. Bravvis switched kola buddies to Lotor, giving a small hum of contentment.

The Galra had gone full-out kola pile. The only ones left out were Matt and Acxa. Matt wasn't inclined to try and join the personal moment, and stepped quietly toward the door. He glanced at Acxa, who knelt in front of the kola pile without joining.

Acxa set Lotor's hand gently down in his lap. She then stood and turned, not responding to Ezor's small whine. She crossed the room to a chair and sat down, smoothly sliding her gun from its holster and setting it on her lap.

Matt had never witnessed a kola pile, but he did know that someone -another Galra or trusted companion- kept watch over the group. Acxa was filling that role, but Matt thought she should have been part of the kola pile. Maybe she just wasn't one to kola.

Either way, Matt was definitely intruding.

"I'll watch the bridge," Matt murmured. He limped quietly from the room, feeling Acxa's hard gaze on his back.

* * *

 **A/N: Is it just me, or wouldn't Lotor at least occasionally wish that he could just... move on? I mean, he's been in exile for centuries, he basically has no family, and if he's had other generals before, he's had to watch generations die. Anyway, no build-up because Lotor's current state of mind is pretty rare for him.**

 **I love to write the kola. Give them a few minutes, and they'll be sprawled together like a bunch of cats. XD**

 **What do you think of Bravvis/Throk? In case you don't remember, he's from the first episode of season three. Lotor challenged him to a duel when he learned that he was working behind his back to turn the other commanders against him, but what if it was all just a ploy?**

 **Now, to give credit for the Alteans I introduced!**

 **Bandor, Tavo, and Merla are canon, then Nolan and Vinis are mine, but I had some help with the others.**

 **Candace was created by Cuthalion97. (I can't wait for his and Matt's introduction. XD Slightly inside joke there.)**

 **Vinnar was created by Gravtron1, and he's going to be so much fun to present.**

 **Ella and Crista are curtesy of Shastelly, and are featured in her story _A Place to Remember._ Why don't you check it out? It's a cool, intense read with Langst!**

 **Guest reviews!**

 **KatieGunderson: Believe me, Matt's going to try his hardest. -munches cookies-**

 **Random Fan: THAT was the response I was looking for! XD Your review made my day. -stashes cookies on top shelf because mini-Matt's eaten a dozen already-**

 **Random Fan's Sis: -cautiously backs away- I'd love to say that everything will turn out just fine, but... -bolts-**

 **Pidge02: I must have had TP on the brain without realizing it. XD Now I totally can't think of Matt with Pidge and the wrench in any other way. -tries to figure out where to put _these_ cookies-**

 **Reviewer: You might have to get in line to... do whatever it is that you plan.**


	13. Filling in the Gaps

**A/N: I wrote this chapter in one swoop (on a digital sugar high of digital cookies and milk XD), and have been trying to edit it for the last week. But I can't seem to change anything without ruining the flow of the chapter.**

* * *

Matt walked unsteadily toward the bridge. Feeling in his leg came and went with no warning, and he nearly fell twice more by the first intersection. He looked down the hall, in the direction of the bridge, then glanced to the left where his dorm was.

"Room's closer," Matt decided aloud.

By leaning against the wall, Matt made it to his room. He opened the door to see Nova sprawled in the room. The star pelusa lifted her head.

"Traitor," Matt mumbled grumpily as he limped to his bed.

Matt retrieved his staff from beside the bed and extended it to use as a walking stick. He grabbed his helmet as well, then dropped to the floor beside Nova.

"You have one chance to redeem yourself," Matt told her, putting a hand on her side. "Take me to the bridge."

Matt was joking, of course, but the next thing he knew, Nova flashed brightly and he was sitting in the middle of the bridge. He blinked, looked around, then at Nova.

"Okay, I forgive you," Matt said, rubbing her ears.

After Nova was satisfied with the ear rubs, Matt knelt and planted his staff on the floor. Using his arms and good leg, he managed to push himself into a standing position. He winced as he left leg twinged.

"I can feel it again," Matt said to himself. "I hope that's a good thing…"

Nova whined and stood to add her support to Matt. Matt limped to the nearest console with an intercom, then carefully lowered himself back to the ground and looked outside.

While traveling through the quantum abyss, the surroundings changed regularly. Just then, space was filled with crystal-like debris reflecting light a thousand times over. Matt had to squint to look outside.

Matt turned to the less blinding bridge. "I guess it's just you and me for now, Nova. I've heard those kola piles can last up to a full quintant. Probably less with this crew."

Matt rubbed his leg. It had been a bit weak since he woke up in the cave, but it had never been so bad or even hurt. His cut shoulder barely even ached, so why was his healed leg giving him problems so suddenly?

"How'd they even heal it in the first place?" Matt asked Nova, like she had the answer. "There isn't any pod around here… was it one of them? No, that's impossible. I've never heard of a race that heal injuries like that. I mean, there used to be, if the stories are true."

"Then again…" Matt thought about the vision with Bravvis. "Why didn't they put Bravvis in a healing pod? There were two guys, and they were glowing…" Matt snapped his fingers. "Alteans! Ezor said that Lotor is Altean, and he has the same markings as those people we saw."

Matt put on his helmet and pulled up his data log. It was full of information on planets, races, fighting techniques and strategies, ship data, and everything else that Matt had learned since coming to space.

Holding up a finger, Matt swiveled to the main holo-screen. "I know you're going to check on what I did while I was alone, Acxa. I'll let you see so you don't get all suspicious with me, but I do my best thinking aloud."

Matt gave a cheery wave and disabled the audio sensors on the bridge. Then, turning his back again, Matt went to his research.

Pulling up the data he had on alien races, he searched for any matches to the name "Altean." He had very little information, and no actual descriptions. According to the information he had gathered, Alteans were an extinct race that had been killed off at the beginning of the war. For reasons Matt never learned, Alteans had been purposefully hunted down and killed by order of Zarkon.

Matt paused in his reading. "But… Lotor is half Altean. Maybe that's why he was exiled. But if that was true, why is he supposed to be taking Zarkon's place? How has he survived this long?" Matt blinked at a thought. "Woah, woah, that means that _Zarkon married an Altean._ I… I don't know what to do with that information."

Matt stared at the floor for a minute before mentally cataloguing that little bit of information with the ever growing amount of "deal with it later" information and returning to the data logs.

The stories said that Alteans had amazing abilities in manipulating quintessence. They were most known for their healing and their sharing of quintessence could cause plants to grow instantly.

"Okay, so healing is an Altean thing," Matt decided. "Which means that Lotor must have been the one to heal me, and… ruggle."

Lotor's quintessence was low, and that sort of thing didn't just happen on his own. Matt had been assuming that Lotor's illness or whatever was due to a previous fight, but just then, the data was pointing toward Matt's healing.

"Okay, Lotor's sick because of me." Matt frowned. "He had to have known that it would. Ezor said that he's healed broken limbs before. Why did he do it, then, if it would make him so sick? And none of the generals seem to know what to do, so he must never have been this bad."

Matt sighed. "I have so many questions, and I don't think anyone will answer them for me. Maybe Ezor would. I bet she would. How does the whole universe not know about Lotor and the generals with Lotor out there?"

Nova yipped.

"It was a rhetorical question," Matt told her. "But… a good one. If Ezor was around one rebel for just a varga, they'd know that Lotor is a good guy. Which he doesn't want anyone to know, for some reason. Maybe they just keep Ezor away from rebels. But, I'm a rebel. She's told me way too much for someone who's going to be leaving. What if this colony is where everyone who knows about Lotor goes… No, because Acxa didn't want to take me there in the first place, and she didn't know I was listening when she said that."

Matt thought for a moment. "If the people I saw in the vision were really Alteans, they must be hidden. And if they are the ones who can fix Lotor, that would explain why we have to go there. The colony must be the hidden Alteans! And since Alteans are supposed to be extinct, that's why Acxa didn't want me to come with them. I bet Lotor and the generals are the only ones who know the colony exists."

"Which makes me a liability to the colony. Why didn't they just ditch me before now?" Matt hummed. "Some entrances to the quantum abyss are in empty areas of space. They would have had to go too far to find someplace to leave me, I assume. They still could have left me for someone else to find, though. But I already knew too much at that point. Why didn't they ditch me when they first found me? We couldn't have been too far from the Post, and there are semi-habitated places around. Someone wanted to keep me aboard and, considering the line of command, it had to have been Lotor."

Matt was quiet for several minutes at the deduction. Lotor wanted him to stay?

"Lotor's had centuries to explore in the quantum abyss. Maybe he saw me on the ship? They're all pretty determined to not mess with what they see in the future, but what could I have done to have enough of an impact for Lotor to risk all this?"

"I guess I got rid of the paladins. Visions or not, I think Lotor would have healed me in the first place, if it was really him. So, he would have been vulnerable either way. But if he saw me misdirecting the paladins, that would be a good reason to keep me on this ship."

Something else occurred to Matt. "And I'm going to be there when the blue paladin kills Acxa. What would happen now if I left before that could happen? If Ezor's right, something would probably lead me to that spot at that time. Unless my being there isn't important enough… Yeah, Acxa dying might be more important than the fact that I'm there."

"But it doesn't really matter why I'm here," Matt went on. "I'm wondering about when I leave. Ezor acted like this is somewhat normal for this crew. How have they kept all this a secret? Well-intending that someone may be, secrets are spilled. And with a secret that could end the war if the paladins knew that Lotor wasn't so bad, this war would be long over. How do you keep something that big a secret? It's not like everyone forgets as soon as…"

Matt looked back at the dark star outside. "Ezor explained everything to me, except for how the time collapses work." He looked at Nova. "Acxa did. And she only explained it to me because she didn't think I'd remember. But why would she say that?"

Matt thought about the vision with Lotor and Bravvis talking. They had planned some big scheme, one that would probably ruin Lotor's standing in the empire.

"Bravvis said that he wished he could say that he would miss Lotor. They thought that, at worse, he'd get in trouble with a superior, but took precautions in case the witch got involved." Matt shuddered. "I've heard stories about what the druids do to traitors. There isn't any way Bravvis could have kept whatever the secret was away from them. Unless it was like he never knew the plan. Or Lotor, apparently. But, how would they do that?"

It didn't take long for Matt to figure it out. "Narti. She messed with my head and made me fall asleep. In a matter of seconds. Is erasing memories that far of a stretch?"

Nova whined and put her head on Matt's lap, taking it up entirely. Matt rubbed her ears distractedly.

"It would explain so much. No one's ever spilled the beans, and it sounds like Lotor's been up to this for centuries. My being here is a risk because I'm learning so much about them. But if Narti can really erase memories, there isn't an issue."

Matt digested that for another silent minute, then shrugged.

"I don't accidentally expose Lotor and the generals and can go on with my life. It's a win-win, right, Nova?"

Nova whined.

Matt sighed. "Right."

* * *

 **A/N: Remember my profile rant a few weeks ago, saying that I'd revealed too much? Yep, I couldn't give Bravvis' story without dropping a rather huge hint that, hm, Lotor has a way to erase minds. So... dramatic reveal is lost. Eh.**

 **Guest reviews! (Is it just me, or are there a lot more of you than when I started?)**

 **Random Fan: One: I thought I had a lot! XD Two: Thanks! Three: :D Four: I always grin when I write those Five: That is exactly what I'm going for! Yes! This should be enough to power a few more chapters! XD**

 **Reviewer: -carefully backs away- Thanks. -bolts-**

 **Random Fan's Sis: Down, kitty! I need to write! -bolts again-**

 **Guest: Nope, actually. It's just due to their mixed blood.**

 **Woof: More like a cat pile. Have you ever seen a bunch of cats just flop all together? Yeah, it's like that when the kola pile happens. XD**

 **KatieGunderson: We can never have too many cookies. Especially since we're going to be meeting some new characters soon! I do mean "kola." I coined the term from "koala," though, because when a single Galra does it, it does look like a koala hanging out. I couldn't come up with anything, so I just took the "a" from "koala." Fun fact: the idea of kolaing came from when I was writing a scene with the paladins where Shiro** **"turned and had Keith climb onto his back, where he (Keith) draped like an exhausted koala bear."**


	14. Echo Zone

**A/N: I can already hear the many face-palms about Matt in the first scene...**

 **So... this started as an innocent rabbit trail, but... it somehow turned into a traumatizing course of events...**

 **Honestly, is anyone surprised? Now, let's get this show on the road!**

* * *

"Got it!"

Matt nodded in satisfaction at his wrist-comp. He'd finally gotten around to listing what he'd seen and heard in the visions. It had taken two vargas to get everything down. He hoped he hadn't missed anything. Matt focused on the future visions.

"If these go in order, maybe I'll be prepared for things that are coming," Matt said. He scanned the notes beside each of the future quotes. "Let's see… figure out who the Blade of Marmora is… if Voltron ditches them, maybe they'll be on our side. Avoid an Allura if I can help it… Keith is a pretty human name… wishful thinking. Find out what Sincline is… and why do I sound worried that I can't see Voltron?"

Matt's eyes ran down the vision records, then stiffened.

 _Shiro runs in, carrying the blue paladin._

"No, no. Why did I do that?" Matt murmured. He crossed out "Shiro" and replaced it with "black paladin." "Shiro's _gone_."

A wet nose touching his hand made Matt start. He looked down, realizing that he'd clenched his fist. He shook it loose and patted Nova.

"Sorry, girl."

Beeping from the main holo-screen distracted Matt from his depressing thoughts. He looked up to see an alert and map had popped up.

"'Approaching echo zone,'" Matt read. He looked at Nova. "Is that bad?"

Nova dropped her head to the ground and hid it under her paws.

"That is _not_ encouraging," Matt said.

Matt looked back to the holo-screen. The map displayed a tiny ship in a mostly empty space. Dots indicated space debris, and there was a mass of red in the ship's path.

"Red is never a good sign," Matt told Nova.

Matt wondered if he should change the ship's course. But that seemed like a bad idea; who knew where -or when- they'd end up. No sort of defenses or alarms were showing up, so Matt hoped it wasn't dangerous.

"Well, let's just see what happens," Matt decided.

Using his staff and Nova's support, Matt stood. His leg held, but he kept his weight shifted off of the bad leg, just in case. He tensed as a countdown appeared on the holo-screen, slowly ticking down.

"Three… Two…" Matt closed his eyes. "One!"

Nothing happened.

Matt peeked one eye open, then both. Aside from the remaining alert that they were in the "echo zone" and the map, nothing had changed. No giant creatures tried to eat the ship, no shaking, not even any new noises.

"What do you think, stowaway?"

Scratch that last part.

Matt spun around to an empty bridge. He could have sworn that he had just heard Lotor's voice -muted, though- come from behind him.

"They're hailing us. What should we do?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

"Who is what now?" Matt said, starting to get more confused than scared.

There was a long silence in the bridge, then Matt heard his own voice.

"That is _not_ encouraging."

Matt blinked at the familiar words, then it clicked. "Oh! Echo zone. I get it now. This won't be so bad, huh, Nova?"

Nova whined, then the echo of somebody screaming "We surrender! Cease fire, please!" filled the bridge.

Matt fought back his own whimper. "Wrong."

* * *

Matt lasted five minutes before fleeing the bridge. The halls were quieter, but the echoes still came and went without reason or purpose. They ranged from a single sentence to conversations between two people.

"The damaged fighters are kept here," Lotor's echo said, apparently part of some past tour.

"Don't get lost," said another unfamiliar voice, tinged with a laugh.

Somebody yelled.

Matt's pace slowly went from a walk to a jog. His bad leg jarred painfully with each step, forcing him to a stop with Nova in a new hall. It was silent for a moment, then an old conversation began to echo.

"Where will we go?" asked an unfamiliar male voice.

"We'll find a new haven," Lotor's echo responded.

"We are running out of places to hide," said the male voice. "We can't… we can't keep doing this, Lotor. We were better off on Zarn. At least my family had a home and a life there."

"A life that was a lie, Baylor," Lotor said.

"It was better than this!" Baylor shouted back.

The voices ended there. Matt waited for them to continue, then added the conversation to his wrist-comp.

"I wonder if Ezor knows who Baylor is," Matt commented.

Nova snorted.

"Right. Trying to get away from the voices. Here seems good, though," Matt said.

The whispering echo of voices filled the hall, too indistinct for Matt to understand. Matt shivered and limped further down the hall. The voices continued on, as confusing as ever.

"Let me handle this, just hide!"

"We've set up temporary dorms in the hangers."

"We need to stop for supplies soon."

Matt stopped near the dorms, listening to the mild exchanges. The further he went, the calmer the echoes seemed to be, so he kept walking and mostly zoned out the echoes.

"Father! Father! Lotor says I can grow my flowers!"

"We had to move a lot of junk, but we have room for more."

"Junk?" Lotor's bemused voice echoed.

Matt turned into a new hall. His attention was caught by the change in the echoes.

"We can't stop here."

"We're _never_ returning to this sector."

Matt cocked his head as there was a lull in the echoes. "I wonder how old these echoes are, Nova."

Nova growled.

"And I wonder if they come from all over, like the visions are from anyplace," Matt went on. "Or, maybe, they are conversations that happened in this place. How old is this ship?"

The hall came to an end. Matt looked back the way he'd come, just realizing that he hadn't been down this hall before. He thought he had, but all the other halls looped into each other rather than coming to a stop like this hall did.

Matt looked at the doors lining the hall. He was pretty sure he was still in the dorm area, so why hadn't he been down it when he and Ezor were touring and searching the ship? On impulse, Matt opened the last door to the left.

The room was unlit, but just a regular room. Matt stepped into the dark room, squinting. There was two beds and a good deal more personal items than normal. Several chests were pressed against the walls, there was a statue in one corner, and rugs on the floor. Guns hung on the walls as well.

"Where's the lights?" Matt wondered aloud, walking back toward the door.

His left foot caught on something, and his leg gave out. He stumbled forward, staff slipping from his grasp. He barely himself on the wall. His hand ran across the oddly uneven surface of the wall. He looked up, eyes widening at the same time that the echoes started again.

"Go. Away!" This voice, though much younger, sounded eerily similar to...

"Acxa," Lotor's voice echoed.

"This is your fault!"

The metal wall was blacked with burn marks and dented.

"Please, listen to me-" Lotor's voice echoed.

Blaster fire echoed.

Matt stumbled backward. He had to get out of here.

The echo of screams made Matt jump. He tripped over the object again, landing hard on the floor. Nova howled and bounded over to him. Matt grabbed her and tried to pull himself up, but shooting pain in his leg made him cry out. He slumped onto his stomach and shoved his palms into his ears.

It didn't stop the echoes.

"I hate you!"

"I wanted to protect you." Lotor's echo sounded wavery.

"You should have left me!" Young-Acxa's echo screamed.

Matt curled into a ball, shaking with tension and pain. He tried to take a deep breath, but the air was choking him. He coughed, tears springing into his eyes when the motion only sharpened the pain in his leg. The world was starting to blur.

"You should have let me die!"

Finally, merciful darkness swept over Matt, pulling him from the pain and tortured cries.

* * *

 **A/N: For the record, I didn't know this was going to happen until... Monday?**

 **Since nobody's made any guesses about what's wrong with Matt's leg, I'm going to give you a hint: femoral artery.**

 **Guest review responses!**

 **Random Fan's Sis: -eyes Spera- Thanks! -gives the cookies and milk to Matt for this chapter- I'm going to go put on some running shoes...**

 **Reviewer: Nah... now I'm prepared. ;) It sort of was a reflection chapter... kind of a reflection and put his thoughts in order sort of thing.**

 **Random Fan: I'll take "deep." XD Nova is honestly the only thing keeping these chapters soft in any way. Basically, with Narti. But maybe Narti has some sort of backlash...? I think I got away mostly unscathed from Spera. ;) And that's how rabbit trails are born. XD -gathers up mik and cookies because Matt's going to need them-**

 **KatieGunderson: -distributes cookies- Many thanks from this end of the screen. We're running purely on cookies right now. XD**

 **Guest: Maybe?**


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